Small-scale traders in Kisii were Friday morning counting losses after their premises were demolished overnight by municipal askaris.
The incident was followed by violent protests along the town's streets.
Anti-riot police lobbed tear-gas at the traders who were chanting anti-Governor James Ongwae slogans.
The protesters had lit bonfires blocking traffic on the busy Kisii-Kisumu highway.
The traders criticised the move, saying demolitions were carried out despite an early agreement to shelve the notice issued by the Municipal board officials that they move out of the side walks.
"We want the county to tell us if it would provide husbands to feed us," wept a widow, whose tomato stall was destroyed.
Jane Matiabe, the traders representative, termed the destruction "unreasonable".
She said the demolitions came at a time when many of the traders were struggling with Covid-19 effects on the economy.
"This was ill thought and in bad taste to destroy the livelihoods of people who eke a livelihood from small businesses like this," she told journalists.
Peter Yoge, another traders representative said there was a plot by the county to allow containers from big time investors and lock out the hustlers.