Teargas lobbed at protesters in Machakos, July 25, 2025. George OwitiSome traders on Friday protested after their structures were demolished in Machakos County.
The protesters barricaded the Kyumbi–Machakos road at Miwani area within Machakos Town subcounty during the protests.
They claimed the demolitions were carried out by enforcement officers from the Machakos County Government at around 1:00 am.
"I received a phone call from a friend who told me all was not well, that our structures had been pulled down by bulldozers at night. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I rushed to the scene," a trader told reporters during the protests.
The protests disrupted transport along the road, which is usually used by hundreds of motorists.
The trader said his kiosk, which was pulled down, had cost him about Sh60,000. It was still under construction when it was demolished.
The protesters claimed they were not issued with any eviction notice before their structures were destroyed.
"We have lost our livelihoods. We could have removed our belongings if they had issued eviction notices," he said.
Police responded to the protests after the traders blocked the road.
The officers hurled teargas canisters at the protesters to disperse them before clearing the road. Some of the traders said they had been rendered poor by the demolitions.
The demolished structures had been erected along the road, allegedly on the road reserve, next to the diversion to Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s Machakos White House office.
A senior official from Ndeti’s administration confirmed the demolitions were conducted by the county government.
He said the traders had encroached on the road reserve.
Traffic snarl-up in Machakos, July 25, 2025./GEORGE OWITI
Demolished structures in Machakos, July 25, 2025. George Owiti
