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Business came to a standstill in Kisumu town yesterday as traders and motorists held demonstrations to protest planned relocation.

The businessmen at Nyamlori market and motorists at the Kisumu bus park have expressed their displeasure with the plans by the city management to relocate them to alternative place.

The city management had notified traders at Nyamlori to move to the new ultra-modern Uhuru Business Park while a section of motorists to relocate to the newly constructed Mowlem bus park along the Kisumu-Nairobi road.

The plan has been heavily opposed by a section of the business community and motorists.
The demonstrators lit bonfires at the Kisumu Boys school roundabout, leaving public transport services paralysed.

City manager

Carrying placards and twigs, the protesters matched through the streets of the lakeside town calling for vacation of office by city manager Abala Wanga whom they accused of mismanaging the city.

A number of business outlets in the CBD, including supermarkets temporarily closed due to fear of looting.

The groups accused the city manager of gross misconduct, mismanagement of the office among other grievances.

While chanting ‘Abala must go ‘ they accused the city manager of frustrating them by destroying their business premises said the times are hard with the hard economic times.

Organisers of the demonstrations led by civil activist Audi Ogada have vowed to continue the push to have the city manager vacate office.