A standoff erupted on Thursday morning as Marikiti traders clashed with police in running battles after blocking sections of roads leading to Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).
The traders were protesting a planned relocation to the newly opened Kangundo Road Market.
To express their frustration, the traders burned tires and barricaded roads, disrupting traffic to and from the Nairobi CBD. Jogoo Road and Haile Selassie Avenue were particularly affected, with no vehicles able to access the city center from the Jogoo Road direction at the time of reporting.
The protests followed a directive issued in a notice dated September 10 by acting County Secretary Godfrey Akumali.
The notice ordered traders selling potatoes, pineapples, oranges, and onions to relocate to Kangundo Road Market. The move is aimed at decongesting the CBD, improving traffic flow, and creating additional parking space.
“It has been decided that all onion, pineapple, oranges, and potato traders operating outside and inside the market relocate to Kangundo Road Market, where there is spacious trading space and ample parking for business,” Akumali stated.
The changes were set to take effect immediately, triggering the traders’ protests.
