Growing up, Gabriel Njuguna noted early that academic work at school was not his gift, but he excelled in manning his parents’ shop in the Ndenderu area, Kiambu.
With time, he figured he would be an entrepreneur.
A mobile loan here, shylock facilities there, Njuguna managed to build his fresh produce business at Ngara’s Fig Tree Market, enabling him not only to send his children to good schools but also to become a key pillar of support to his parents and siblings.
But his business is now in ruins after unknown people stormed the bustling market in the wee hours of Wednesday morning and demolished the business establishments.
“They have finished me,” Njuguna told the Star on the phone from his hospital bed in Pangani, where he is being treated for high blood pressure symptoms.
“This is my whole life’s work and everybody looks up to me. What do I tell my kids and my parents who are all sick and get crucial medication from my support? What have I done to deserve this?” Njuguna said.
Njuguna, along with hundreds of small-scale traders are counting heavy losses after over 2,000 informal stalls and kiosks were demolished in the Wednesday incident.
Fig Tree Road is a busy commercial stretch where traders had operated businesses ranging from fresh produce stalls to electronics kiosks.
Witnesses said the demolitions began in the early morning hours —under police escort—and involved bulldozers and private security.
When dawn broke, the scene resembled a disaster zone: twisted metal sheets, broken wood, scattered merchandise and personal belongings buried in rubble.
Traders said their structures were legally recognised by the Nairobi City County, with many of the stall owners saying they had been paying regular fees to county officers and held official receipts to support their claims.
Photos taken on the scene showed traders walking through the debris, some attempting to recover undamaged goods, while others stood in disbelief.
Traders reported losing goods worth thousands of shillings. Items such as electronics, shoes, cooking utensils, vegetables, clothing and mobile accessories were among those damaged or stolen during the operation.
“We are not fighting anyone. We just want help. We have children. We don’t have savings. We are suffering,” said Ann Wambui, a trader who also lost a clothing stall she had operated for nine years.
No court order or official demolition notice was presented to the traders before the action took place, according to their statements.
Martin Kariuki, the chairman of the Ngara Traders Welfare Group, said the demolitions came without prior notice.
“We were not given any eviction notice. We just found our structures destroyed. There was no explanation, no time to salvage anything,” he said.
The destruction was widespread, affecting several rows of stalls along the road and spilling into adjacent spaces that were also used for business operations.
Peter Otieno, who sold school bags and uniforms from a wooden stall near the road, lamented the losses incurred.
“I had just restocked for the school reopening season. I lost over Sh150,000 worth of goods,” Otieno said.
The area was fenced off shortly after the demolitions, with access restricted. Security personnel were deployed around the perimeter, but no official signage indicating the purpose of the demolition or the identity of the developers was visible at the time.
While some traders claim the land belongs to the county government, others say there have been past attempts by private developers to claim ownership of portions of the property.
The Nairobi City County Government has not released any official comment on the demolitions as of October 9.
Efforts by the Star to reach the county’s Lands and Urban Planning Department for clarification were unsuccessful.
While police were present during the demolitions, they have not issued a public statement about the operation. Their role, according to traders, appeared to be to maintain order and prevent resistance.
Human rights groups and local community leaders have called on the county and national government to urgently explain the circumstances of the demolition and to provide support to those affected.
Instant analysis
So far, no compensation or relocation plan has been announced, leaving traders unsure of their next move. Many say they have no alternative income and have been left to start from scratch. Traders have appealed for urgent intervention and a formal investigation into the matter.
