NAIROBI, Kenya- Hundreds of traders at the iconic Gikomba Market in Nairobi returned to the site on Wednesday to clear debris and resume business after sections of the sprawling open‑air market were demolished late on Monday night.
The demolition, part of a government drive to clear structures encroaching on riparian land along the Nairobi River and make way for a planned multi‑billion‑shilling modernisation project, left makeshift timber stalls reduced to rubble and goods buried under debris.
Traders pick up the pieces
By Tuesday morning, many affected traders were seen combing through the remains of their former stalls, salvaging what remnants of stock they could find and clearing broken timber and waste to carve out space to continue trading.
Despite the destruction, some sellers declined to leave the area and instead set up makeshift points among the rubble, determined to earn a living.
Accounts from within the market indicate that traders, particularly those who rely on daily sales for their livelihoods, said they had little choice but to return to business quickly amid fears of weeks without income.
Government plan and trader frustrations
The demolitions are part of a phased plan to redevelop Gikomba into a more organised and safer commercial hub with improved sanitation and drainage.
Government officials have claimed that alternative spaces have been allocated to traders to avoid disruption of livelihoods as reconstruction begins.
However, many traders argue that the alternative sites are too small, poorly organised, or unclear in terms of allocation, forcing others to return to the original market grounds to fend for their families.
Some reported losses running into millions of shillings, with goods either destroyed or taken during the demolition.
The exercise has drawn mixed reactions from political leaders and the public.
While some government officials maintain the project is necessary to address congestion and environmental risks like flooding, opposition figures have criticised the timing and execution of the demolitions, calling them harsh and disruptive to small‑scale traders.
