Traders affected by the Friday, 15th February demolitions have faulted the government of witch-hunt, claiming they were not served with eviction notices.
During the morning demolitions, more than 30 businesses were affected after “SANY” the excavator mauled the illegal structures along Aerodrome Road near Nyayo National Stadium.
Three years ago
Kenya Railways, however, have come out to stat that it had served the traders with vacation notices three years ago.
From the Kenya Railways Corporation’s side, structures built less than 30 metres from the railway line have encroached on the line reserve and contravene the prescribed distance.
From bustling to Debris
In under three days, what used to be a vibrant business centre of salons, a restaurant, boutiques and car bazaar at Prime Place is now a pile of debris, with traders counting losses after goods and businesses worth millions of shillings were destroyed.
“We have held a legal lease for occupying this land since the year 2000. We have also been paying all the rates due to Kenya Railways without failure. We don’t understand why they ambushed us,” said Mr Wagatharia Micugu, the manager of Prime Place.
Flattened businesses
Traders who left their businesses premises last week Thursday came the following morning to a heap of rubble and lost property.
“Why didn’t they ask us to move elsewhere? Now we have lost our businesses. Where do we go from here?” questioned a trader.