Democracy for Citizens (DCP) Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has raised concerns regarding the ongoing demolition of structures along the Nairobi River, claiming that the exercise unfairly targets the poor while sparing the wealthy.

Speaking during a TV interview with Kameme TV on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Gachagua said the demolitions favour the mighty ones, having homes and hotels almost on the river.

Gachagua questioned the current operation, pointing out that the homes of the less fortunate are being destroyed while hotels and residences built almost on the river in neighbourhoods like Lavington and Kileleshwa remain untouched.

“If you look at the Nairobi River, only those who do not have are the targets. If this demolition exercise is of honesty and truthfulness, why didn’t they start from Lavington, then Kileleshwa, because there are homes and hotels built almost on the river by the mighty ones?” Gachagua posed.

Demands

The DCP leader demanded that if the government of President William Ruto is truly sincere, the demolitions should begin in Lavington. Gachagua insisted that the government should focus not only on areas occupied by what he described as the proletariat but also the bourgeoisie. According to the former deputy president, the selective application of the demolition orders undermines the integrity of the environmental restoration efforts.

“But it is only those who are poor are being targeted. If this government of President William Ruto is sincere, let it begin from Lavington,” Gachagua stated.

He added that the late Michuki spearheaded the restoration of the Nairobi River and established Michuki Park, a legacy of urban greenery that remains a popular sanctuary for the public to this day.

“The late Michuki, who came from Kangema, made Michuki park, cleaned the river and made a garden where people go to rest up-to-date,” Gachagua said.

Gikomba market protest

This comes after traders at Gikomba market in Nairobi protested on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, over a planned relocation linked to the Nairobi River restoration project, accusing authorities of excluding them from key decisions.

A standoff unfolded when government officials arrived to survey a proposed new site, prompting fears of sudden evictions among long-time vendors. Tensions escalated as traders pushed back against the government’s ‘decanting’ strategy, alleging a lack of transparency in land expansion and relocation.

Long-term vendors decried the move, claiming they were sidelined from consultations despite having anchored their businesses in the market for years.