KeNHA orders Thika Superhighway roadside traders to vacate in seven days

KeNHA Director General Luka Kimeli/FILE

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued a fresh notice directing all roadside traders operating along sections of the busy Thika Superhighway to vacate within seven days to pave the way for infrastructure upgrades.

In the notice, KeNHA specifically targeted traders operating at Kihunguro (both bounds), Allsops (both bounds), and the Delview sections, ordering them to remove and clear their wares from the road reserve within a week from the date of the notice.

KeNHA Director General Luka Kimeli said the move is intended to facilitate the construction of designated roadside stations along the highway.

According to Kimeli, the planned works are part of broader efforts to streamline transport operations and reduce accidents along one of the country’s busiest road corridors.

“The project is part of the Authority's ongoing road safety improvement initiatives that seek to reduce accidents, enhance order within the road reserve, and ensure the unobstructed flow of traffic along the Highway,” he said.

The Authority noted that the reclaimed spaces will be used for infrastructure upgrades, including the construction of bus bays along the Thika Superhighway, as well as measures to improve safety for both motorists and pedestrians.

KeNHA warned that enforcement action would be taken against those who fail to comply within the stipulated timeframe, in accordance with laws governing road reserves.

The directive comes amid heightened tensions following recent demolitions along the highway.

On the afternoon of February 18, traffic was temporarily disrupted along Thika Road as locals engaged police in running battles over ongoing demolitions.

The unrest saw residents clash with police officers and set tyres ablaze along the Thika Superhighway at the Githurai overpass, paralysing movement and causing significant traffic snarl-ups in the area.

The protests were sparked by KeNHA’s efforts to reclaim what it termed illegally occupied road reserves and railway land.

According to the Authority, the demolitions are necessary to restore order and create space for planned infrastructure projects.

However, traders have pushed back against the exercise, arguing that they were not adequately consulted.

KeNHA had earlier issued a notice to traders in the affected areas, including those in Roysambu, directing them to vacate. Many defied the directive, citing lack of public participation and the absence of a clear relocation plan.

Several traders complained that they were given only seven days to vacate without prior consultation or engagement to discuss the impact of the project on their livelihoods. 

The demolitions have also drawn political criticism. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua faulted the government’s handling of the operation in Githurai, terming it excessive.

Gachagua said it was unnecessary to deploy a large contingent of police officers at night to oversee the demolition of traders’ structures.

The former DP raised concerns about the government’s approach to law enforcement, particularly at a time when many Kenyans are grappling with economic hardship.