Nanyuki Law Courts in Laikipia county/ ALICE WAITHERAMATATU operators in Nanyuki have moved to court seeking to stop the construction of a proposed commercial complex, alleging they were unlawfully evicted from a long-established public transport hub.
In a public interest suit filed at the Environment and Land Court in Nanyuki, matatu operator George Martin sued Trojan Six Oil 2019 Limited, its director Kinyua Mwangi, the Laikipia county government, and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).
According to court documents, matatu operators had used Plot No. Block 8/700 in Nanyuki town as their operational base for more than 15 years.
The site hosted matatu stages, booking offices, passenger shelters and waiting bays serving thousands of commuters daily.
The plaintiff claims that in August 2025, the land was fenced off overnight without notice, consultation or a court order, effectively evicting matatu operators and disrupting public transport services in the town.
He says sheds, offices and passenger shelters were rendered unusable, leaving commuters without safe and designated boarding points.
The suit further alleges that the developers intend to construct a commercial complex known as Boulevard Mall on the land, including areas said to encroach on a long-standing public access road.
Martin has accused the county government of issuing development approvals without conducting public participation as required under the constitution and the Physical and Land Use Planning Act.
He also claims KeNHA failed to protect the affected road reserve and instead threatened to evict matatu operators.
The plaintiff warns that the continued fencing and construction have already disrupted public transport operations in Nanyuki, affecting livelihoods, public safety and commuter convenience.
He has asked the court to halt the project, nullify the approvals, and restore matatu operators to the site pending lawful planning procedures.
In response, Trojan Six Oil 2019 Limited and its director Kinyua Mwangi have dismissed the suit as legally defective.
Through their advocate Ng’ang’a Munene, the developers state that Plot No. Block 8/700 is private property and that the plaintiff and other matatu operators were trespassers with no legal right to occupy the land.
They argue that no notice, court order or public participation was required before fencing or developing the property and contend that George Martin lacks the legal standing to bring the suit either personally or on behalf of other operators.
The defendants have indicated they will raise a preliminary objection, citing alleged violations of the Civil Procedure Rules on representative suits, and have asked the court to dismiss the case at the earliest opportunity with costs.
The matter is yet to come up for directions.
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