{"id":159512,"date":"2026-03-31T16:00:40","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T16:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions"},"modified":"2026-03-31T17:29:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T17:29:19","slug":"mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions","title":{"rendered":"Mbugua Kibathi Defends Gikomba Market Demolitions"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

What You Need to Know<\/h4>\n

Mbugua Kibathi, chairperson of Gikomba Market, has defended the ongoing demolitions at the market, claiming they are lawful and agreed upon by traders. He insists the process is voluntary, following consultations with traders and government agencies, despite protests from some traders regarding forced evictions and relocation costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Africa-Press – Kenya. <\/strong> <\/span>Gikomba Market chairperson Mbugua Kibathi has defended the ongoing demolitions, insisting the exercise is lawful and agreed upon by traders.<\/p>\n

Kibathi dismissed claims that the demolitions are being carried out illegally, maintaining that the process is voluntary and follows prior consultations with traders and government agencies.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear some people say that it is illegal demolition, there is nothing like illegal demolitions. For us, it is voluntary, you just shift yourself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

His remarks come amid heightened tensions at the market, where some traders have protested against the redevelopment plan under the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme, accusing authorities of forceful evictions and the imposition of new relocation charges.<\/p>\n

However, Kibathi rejected the narrative of forced evictions, saying traders were issued with a 30-day notice to vacate affected areas and had been engaged throughout the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were given a 30-day notice to evacuate. Those affected are ignorant,\u201d he said, adding that leaders had reached an understanding with the Nairobi River Commission to ensure no trader would be left stranded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe agreed with the Nairobi River Commission that nobody will be evicted without being shown where to go,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The chairperson expressed confidence that traders would comply with the relocation plan, noting that many were already prepared to resume business in the designated areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur traders are willing to shift and very ready to work. From tomorrow morning, you will see them at their places of work,\u201d he said, adding that resistance was largely driven by cartels occupying certain sections of the market.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stalls that have not been demolished are for those cartels,\u201d he alleged.<\/p>\n

Kibathi also addressed negotiations surrounding the controversial 50-metre riparian boundary, which initially threatened to displace a significant number of traders. He said a compromise had been reached to safeguard livelihoods while allowing redevelopment to proceed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe initial 30-metre radius meant that all the traders that operate there were to go home, but I could not accept that as the chairman,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe then sat down with a multi-agency team and saw it wise to have an additional 20 metres that will accommodate all of us, those from 30 metres and those from 20 metres.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the revised plan, the 30 metres closest to the river will remain untouched, while the additional 20 metres will be used to construct a modern market to accommodate affected traders.<\/p>\n

The redevelopment is part of a broader government initiative aimed at restoring the Nairobi River while improving infrastructure and safety within surrounding markets. Principal Secretary for Housing Charles Hinga has defended the project, citing long-standing challenges such as fires, flooding and congestion at Gikomba.<\/p>\n

Hinga has also addressed traders\u2019 concerns over relocation costs, pledging that the government will cover all expenses related to the move.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever cost that is concerning your relocation, the government of Kenya is going to meet it. You will not be out of pocket,\u201d the PS said.<\/p>\n

Despite these assurances, scepticism remains among some traders, particularly over implementation and transparency of the process.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, Kibathi maintained that the redevelopment is in the best interest of traders and urged them to support the initiative.<\/p>\n

He expressed optimism that the project would ultimately deliver a safer, more organised trading environment while preserving livelihoods within one of Kenya\u2019s largest informal markets.<\/p>\n

Gikomba Market has long been a hub for trade in Nairobi, facing numerous challenges such as congestion, flooding, and fire hazards. The Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme aims to address these issues through redevelopment, which has sparked controversy among traders concerned about their livelihoods. The government’s initiative seeks to modernize the market while ensuring traders are accommodated during the transition process. Historical tensions between traders and authorities often arise during such redevelopment efforts, highlighting the need for transparent communication and collaboration.<\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Kenya<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What You Need to Know Mbugua Kibathi, chairperson of Gikomba Market, has defended the ongoing demolitions at the market, claiming they are lawful and agreed upon by traders. He insists the process is voluntary, following consultations with traders and government agencies, despite protests from some traders regarding forced evictions and relocation costs. Africa-Press – Kenya. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":159511,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[4345,544,15702,2378,15701,1442],"class_list":["post-159512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-gikomba-market","tag-kenya","tag-mbugua-kibathi","tag-nairobi-river","tag-redevelopment","tag-traders"],"yoast_head":"\nMbugua Kibathi Defends Gikomba Market Demolitions - kenya<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Mbugua Kibathi defends Gikomba Market demolitions, asserting they are lawful and agreed upon by traders amidst protests.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mbugua Kibathi Defends Gikomba Market Demolitions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mbugua Kibathi defends Gikomba Market demolitions, asserting they are lawful and agreed upon by traders amidst protests.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"kenya\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-31T16:00:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-31T17:29:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sites\/28\/2026\/03\/sm_1774977580.638447.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"853\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Mbugua Kibathi Defends Gikomba Market Demolitions\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-31T16:00:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-31T17:29:19+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions\"},\"wordCount\":695,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sites\/28\/2026\/03\/sm_1774977580.638447.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Gikomba market\",\"Kenya\",\"Mbugua Kibathi\",\"Nairobi River\",\"redevelopment\",\"Traders\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"community\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/mbugua-kibathi-defends-gikomba-market-demolitions\",\"name\":\"Mbugua Kibathi Defends Gikomba Market Demolitions - 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