Reprieve for traders as county halts demolition of business structures
By Viola Kosome, January 6, 2021
The Kisumu County Government has suspended the demolition of business kiosks following a public outcry.
In a letter signed by acting City Manager Abala Wanga on Monday, the exercise has been suspended until the ultra-modern Uhuru Business Park, which is under construction, is completed.
The park is expected to accommodate about 10,000 traders.
Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s administration had resolved to evict the small-scale traders in a bid to recover 52 illegally acquired pieces of land.
Wanga, however, said recovery of grabbed land would continue.
“Currently, the county government is in the process of recovering six plots. Four of the cases are already before the court,” he said.
The city boss also said building on pathways, play grounds and wetlands will be brought down upon the expiry of notices issued to the owners.
Affected traders are currently being registered and will be given first priority at the Uhuru Business Park.
Wanga has sounded a warning that all the county employees who have allocated themselves stalls at the newly built Chichwa market will face disciplinary action.
He has since ordered them to surrender the stalls within one week for relocation to deserving traders.
Wanga has at the same time appealed to the lakeside residents to join the county government’s efforts in bringing land grabbers to book by reporting any known cases.
Information desk
In an effort to address the traders’ concerns, the city management has established a complaint and information desk where anyone with any pressing issues concerning the ongoing operations should register their grievances.
He defended the demolition exercise, saying it was meant to achieve envisaged development of the city as contained in the Nyong’o’s development agenda.
Wanga pleaded with people with kiosks along 4.5km Fourems Kenya-Re estate road to remove them on their own to pave way for major construction works by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority.
“Residents who built houses on top of sewer lines and drainages should move with speed to remove them to minimise losses,” he said.