Govt addresses fears of massive job losses after Gikomba night demolition
By Emmanuel Rono, April 1, 2026Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga has assured traders at Nairobi’s Gikomba market that they will not lose their livelihoods during the ongoing redevelopment, stating that the government has provided alternative trading spaces.
Speaking in an interview with a local station on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, Hinga stressed that the project is being implemented in phases to minimise disruption and safeguard businesses.
“There are no jobs that are being lost because we have provided them with an alternative space to trade,” Hinga said.
This comes after shoe traders at the country’s largest open-air market woke up to find their businesses reduced to rubble, with many claiming they had received no prior notice or consultation from authorities.
Market execution in phases
According to Hinga, the redevelopment project is being executed in phases, specifically targeting traders situated within riparian areas and the designated 20-meter zone first.
He noted that a phased approach is essential given the scale of the market, which serves an estimated 200,000 traders.
“I have said we’re building three levels, so we’re going to accommodate more traders who are in other phases now instead of moving them to another relocation space; they are going to move into this space where we’ve created, whether it’s a first or second floor, and that is how we have to do it in phases. You can’t displace all over 200,000 traders in one day,” Hinga explained.
Six months for construction
According to Hinga, the construction of the new modern market will take approximately six months, during which traders will continue operating from designated temporary locations.
The government has been pushing to transform Gikomba into a cleaner, more organized, and safer trading environment, a move that has sparked mixed reactions among traders, some welcoming the development, while others fear loss of income and inadequate relocation plans.
“It will take 6 months to construct the new market,” Hinga confirmed.
The PS said the planned market is part of the major transformation that will redefine the image and functionality of Gikomba, which has long struggled with congestion and poor infrastructure.
Gachagua and Kalonzo condemn the demolitions
The demolitions of the market earlier sparked widespread debate, with critics accusing authorities of targeting vulnerable groups while failing to address broader urban planning challenges.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka are some of the leaders who have condemned the late-night demolitions.
Gachagua termed the operation inhumane, brutal, and a direct attack on small-scale traders.
Speaking during a presser on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Makueni, Gachagua accused the government of orchestrating the demolitions at night, arguing that such actions amount to persecution of ordinary Kenyans struggling to make a living.
“It is totally unfair for a government to treat its people like we witnessed last night at Gikomba Market, Nairobi. I condemn this inhuman and beastly treatment in the strongest terms possible,” Gachagua said.
“Thousands of Traders, and other small-scale traders, have had their properties and items worth millions of Shillings destroyed in a night of a cowardly government raid for what covertly is a political scheme.”