Traders at Nairobi’s bustling Gikomba Market are reporting heavy losses after a section of the market was demolished in a late-night operation on Tuesday, March 31.
The structures, located in the busy shoe section, were brought down under tight security, leaving traders to wake up to flattened stalls and scattered merchandise.
The demolition disrupted business in one of the capital’s largest informal trading hubs, with many small-scale traders now facing uncertainty over their next steps.
Authorities indicated that the affected structures were among those identified as encroaching on designated riparian land. The move is part of a wider government effort targeting developments along riverbanks and drainage corridors in Nairobi.
The move is part of a wider government effort targeting developments along riverbanks and drainage corridors in Nairobi.
Traders affected by the operation expressed frustration, saying the exercise had dealt them a significant economic setback.
Some traders said they had invested heavily in their businesses, while others said the timing of the demolition, carried out overnight, made it difficult to secure their merchandise.
The incident has also drawn criticism from opposition leaders, who questioned the approach taken during the exercise.
Authorities have maintained that the demolitions are aimed at reducing risks linked to flooding, which in recent years has led to loss of life and property in low-lying urban areas.
Traders try to salvage the little they can from the section of Gikomba market that was demolished in a late-night operation on Monday, March 30, 2026/EZEKIEL AMING’A
Traders walking through what was left after a section of Gikomba market was demolished in a late-night operation on Monday, March 30, 2026/EZEKIEL AMING’A
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