A section of
traders at Chandarana area in Diani protesting against eviction from the area. Photo/HandoutOver 100 traders operating at Chandarana area along Diani
Beach Road in Kwale county are appealing for government intervention after
being served with an eviction notice.
The traders, who have been operating in the area for more than 25 years, said they received orders to vacate from a private developer.
They said they are not against vacating but want the process handled with dignity.
They are calling for an alternative site to continue their operations, warning that the current directive threatens to wipe out their livelihoods.
Speaking on behalf of the traders, Anna Agness said the notice has given them too little time to prepare.
“We are not refusing to leave, but the government and the investor should provide us with a clear way forward. We also pay taxes and deserve to know where we will operate from after this,” she said.
Agness added that an eviction without a relocation plan would leave many families destitute.
She also criticised the seven-day deadline, noting that it comes at the peak of the tourism season when businesses are busiest.
“If we are removed forcibly, so many families will be left struggling to survive. The timing is unfair and unrealistic,” she said.
Johnson Mwanzia, another trader, described the directive as a devastating blow to families who depend entirely on their small businesses.
“We depend entirely on these businesses, and being forced to vacate immediately will disrupt our lives. If I’m told to leave so suddenly, where do I take all my goods? We need adequate time to plan. After all, we are human beings,” he said.
Mwanzia explained that his family’s future depends on the income from his enterprise and without proper planning, their survival would be in jeopardy.
“I have a family that depends on me. Moving out abruptly will not only put my livelihood at risk but also the future of my children,” he added.
Benedict Lumumba expressed concern over the manner in which the notice was issued, saying it did not come directly from the developer but through intermediaries.
This, he said, has left the traders confused and worried.
“The investor has always been a friend to us, which makes this sudden turn of events difficult to understand. We need dialogue so that both parties can work out a solution that is beneficial for everyone,” Lumumba said.
The traders are also appealing to local leaders, including Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani, to step in and mediate.
According to trader Brita John, while the land belongs to the investor, the traders deserve fair treatment.
“We acknowledge that the land is private and the developer has every right to reclaim it, but as Kenyan citizens, we also deserve to be treated with dignity,” she said.
Brita said for years, the traders have helped protect the investor’s property and boosted security in the area.
She stressed that any eviction should come with guidance and a proper relocation plan.
“At Ibiza some traders were evicted but directed to another place, and we are not different from them,” she said.
The traders insist they are ready to cooperate but want the government and the developer to consider their contribution to the local economy and tourism before taking action.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The Diani eviction row highlights the delicate balance between private property rights and the livelihoods of long-established small traders. While the private developer has the legal authority to reclaim the land, the abrupt notice and lack of a relocation plan risk devastating the community’s livelihood.
