Tension flared at Gikomba Market after a section of traders blocked government officials in protest over a revised relocation directive expanding the riparian boundary from 30 metres to 50 metres from the Nairobi River.
The directive forms part of an ongoing government plan to restore the Nairobi River ecosystem and pave the way for the construction of a modern market at Gikomba. However, the abrupt expansion of the relocation zone has triggered confusion and resistance among traders.
According to traders, they had initially agreed to vacate structures within a 30-metre radius, but the additional 20 metres has raised concerns about displacement and possible land grabbing.
“We were told 30 metres and we agreed. Where has this 50 come from?” questioned trader Nikodemus Mabebe.
Others warned that the revised boundary could effectively wipe out the entire market. “Fifty metres means the entire market is gone. Where will we go?” posed Milkah Zawadi.
Government representatives, however, maintain that the expansion is necessary for both environmental restoration and redevelopment. Officials indicated that the additional land will be used to construct a new, improved market for affected traders.
“Those opposing are cartels. We are being built a new market; whether they like it or not, we will move,” said Mbugua Kibathi, a trader supporting the relocation plan.
Johnson Sakaja, Governor of Nairobi, reiterated that all traders operating within the 50-metre riparian zone must vacate, citing safety concerns and flood risks. He added that a temporary relocation site has already been identified near the current market.
“All people living on riparian land must relocate to avoid floods. We have told them before; a report will be filed on Thursday,” Sakaja stated.
Authorities have issued a deadline for traders to vacate by the end of March, after which demolition of structures within the affected zone will commence.
The developments come amid ongoing demolition exercises in areas such as Grogon and Shauri Moyo, where structures built along river channels are being cleared following recent flooding incidents.
The standoff at Gikomba underscores the broader challenge facing urban authorities in balancing environmental restoration, disaster risk mitigation, and the livelihoods of informal sector traders who depend on such spaces for survival.
