Nairobi,KENYA:Businessmen and women in Ngara market (Fig tree) in Nairobi are counting losses after a multi agency team demolished illegal structures along the market as a form of creating space in Nairobi central business district.
Addressing the press on Tuesday in Nairobi, Deputy Director of enforcement Peter Mbaya, said that they had given a warning earlier before the exercise since business around the market crowded the Bus terminus.
“The traders had encroached the Bus terminus making it hard for public service vehicles to drop passengers.” Said Mbaya.
He added that the operation has just started in Ngara where there is Muranga Road (Fig Tree) terminus A and Muranga Road Terminus B where traders have crowded leaving a small space for the Matatus to pass.
Mbaya said that by the end of the week all matatus are expected to be out of the CBD according to the transport Chief Executive Commissioner CEC Mohamed Dagane.
According to Ngara traders, they argued not to have received any notice directing them to move as claimed by the enforcement agency.
The move comes after a gazette notice published last year by the county government that required buses plying Waiyaki Way-Uhuru Highway, Kipande Road and Limuru stop at Terminus A.
The gazette notice also shows routes accessing CBD from Thika Road and Kiambu Road up to and including Ruiru will terminate at Muranga Road ( Fig Tree) Terminus B.
The deputy director also added that, the famous Muthurwa Market, traders have also encroached the terminus where they operate in undesignated areas making it hard for vehicles coming from Jogoo Road to park.
“The plan at Muthurwa was disrupted by traders who have occupied all available spaces leaving no space for Matatus,” He said.
Governor of Nairobi had last year banned all PSVs from accessing the city centre but later suspended the ban to give way for negotiations with industry players.
Matatus owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai had challenged the governor to provide alternatives pick-up and drop-off points for PSVs before kicking the vehicles out of the city centre.
