Police were forced to fire teargas on Friday, July 25, to disperse protesters who barricaded the Kyumbi–Machakos Road following the overnight demolition of makeshift shops along the busy highway.
According to locals, individuals believed to be officers from the Machakos County government descended on the area under the cover of darkness, tearing down kiosks without issuing any prior notice to the hundreds of traders who rely on the structures for their livelihoods.
“They never notified us,” lamented one businesswoman. “They demolished the kiosks in the middle of the night. What will we do now? This is how we were making a living.”
The abrupt demolitions triggered outrage among affected traders, who staged demonstrations and demanded accountability from the county government. Many claim they could have salvaged their belongings if only they had been informed in advance.
“My customer called me in the middle of the night and said people were demolishing my shop,” said one businessman. “By the time I arrived, everything had been swept away: two motorbikes that were under repair, my toolbox, spare parts, everything gone.”
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Machakos County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Trade confirmed the demolitions, stating that the structures had been erected on public land.
Residents, however, have called on authorities to account for property confiscated during the operation and demand its return.
“My entire garage, everything, was loaded into a lorry,” a local mechanic recalled. “When I asked them where they were taking my things, they just pointed at the lorry and walked away like it was nothing.”
The affected community is now calling on Governor Wavinya Ndeti to intervene and address what they describe as a heavy-handed and insensitive operation.
