Traders collect what's left after their structures were demolished in Ngara and Roysambu areas on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. /HANDOUTNairobi politician Irungu Nyakera has condemned ongoing demolitions of small businesses and stalls in various parts of the city, accusing the County Government of Nairobi of insensitivity and lack of planning in its quest for urban order.
In a statement released Friday, Nyakera described the demolitions as “an evil spirit” that has engulfed the county administration, particularly targeting informal traders in areas such as Ngara and Roysambu.
“There is an evil spirit of demolitions that has engulfed the County Government of Nairobi. In areas like Ngara and Roysambu, stalls and small businesses are being brought down without notice or any alternatives,” he said.
The Democracy for Citizens (DCP) party patron noted that while residents and leaders support efforts to clean up and organise the city, such actions should not come at the expense of people’s livelihoods.
“While we all want order and a cleaner, well-planned city, we must also protect the livelihoods of Nairobians—especially at a time when Kenyans are already struggling with tough economic conditions,” he said.
The statement comes amid a wave of demolitions across several city estates and business zones, which have drawn outrage from traders who say they were not given notice or relocation options.
Many have accused the Johnson Sakaja-led administration of acting in bad faith, arguing that the clean-up drive disproportionately affects small traders and informal businesses.
On Wednesday, October 8, protests erupted in Ngara after over 600 traders blocked Limuru Road to protest the demolition of their shops at Fig Tree market.
The traders engaged in skirmishes with police after their shops were demolished to clear land for modern housing units around the area.
The location was a haven for second-hand clothes traders, mama mbogas, food kiosks, salons, and an open-air grocery market.
The market space was reportedly on land leased to traders, who refused to vacate after the lease expired, prompting action by private developers.
Nyakera urged the County Government to suspend the demolitions and open talks with the affected traders to find humane, lasting solutions.
"We are therefore calling on the County Government to stop these demolitions and instead engage Nairobi’s traders in open dialogue, offer alternatives, and work with the people,” he said.
He insisted that sustainable development must be inclusive, saying, “We cannot build Nairobi by breaking its people. Development should lift citizens, not push them into despair. Nairobi belongs to all of us.”
Nyakera’s remarks add to growing calls for the county administration to balance its urban renewal agenda with compassion and accountability, especially in a period of economic strain for many Nairobi residents.
