The traders are demanding protection for what they insist is their community market land.Protests broke out in Nairobi’s Umoja 2 Estate on Thursday as dozens of placard-waving traders lit bonfires and baricaded feeder roads that spill into Kangundo Road with stones, demanding protection for what they insist is their community market land.
What began as a small gathering quickly grew into a charged march, with vendors chanting in unison, claiming that a foreign developer was attempting to grab the parcel of land.
They said the Umoja II Community Market has served the neighbourhood for years and is held in trust by the Nairobi County government.
To the vendors, the land is not just a space—it is a bustling marketplace where more than 300 small shops operate daily and where countless families draw their income.
“Where do they expect us to go?” one trader shouted over the noise. “This land belongs to the people. We have worked here for years. You cannot just wake up and take it.”
Sounds of gunfire rent the air as police arrived to disperse the crowd and clear the road and ease the traffic snarl-up that was building on Outering Road and Kangundo Road.
The crowd confronted one police officer and sought to know why they were using live bullets to disperse peaceful demonstrations.
"Hii ni live bullet, angalia", they shouted into TV cameras, displaying spent cartridges.
"Atuue kama anatuua, si utupige na teargas, live bullets ni ya nini (Kill us if you want, use teargas, what are live bullets for)," one shouted.
Their fears have been heightened by what they describe as increasing pressure from individuals linked to the developer, who they claim have been visiting the area asserting ownership of the plot.
Tension around the site has been building for weeks, but Thursday’s demonstrations marked the most organised pushback yet.
The vendors argue that the attempted takeover is not only unlawful but also dangerously inconsiderate, especially at a time when many Kenyans are struggling to keep their small businesses afloat amid rising costs and shrinking customer spending.
For them, losing the market would be a devastating blow.
"There's someone who is alleged to have bought it, and the market belongs to the county. People have been told to vacate. Police found us peacefully demonstrating and fired live bullets," a local leader said.
The matter is already before the courts, and traders are urging authorities to maintain the status quo until an appeal is heard and determined.
They say they fear that while legal proceedings continue, the developer might attempt to take physical control of the land or begin construction—actions that could trigger confrontation.
Community leaders who joined the march called on Nairobi County officials to step in decisively.
"We went to court and the court rendered its verdict, which we respect but have no confidence in. We want to appeal, but the ruling has not been uploaded to the JSC portal. The market has been here for over 20 years, and now we are being told to leave; that's our problem."
The traders want the county to clarify the status of the plot, assure traders of its protection, and prevent any party from interfering until the legal dispute is settled.
“We are not against development, but development must respect the law, and it must respect the people who have relied on this land for years,” an organiser of the protests told the media.
The demonstrations remained largely peaceful, with organisers repeatedly urging participants to maintain calm as they pressed for action.
Police officers guided the protesters away from the main road to avoid traffic disruption and embarked on the tedious task of removing stones from the roads.
As calm returned in the area late afternoon, the fate of the Umoja II market lies in the hands of the court system—and in the willingness of county authorities to listen to the concerns of the people who, day after day, depend on it to survive.
