By Ben Leshau
A group of traders have petitioned Narok County Government to give them an alternative site after their kiosks were demolished.
Led by Narok Town Stakeholders Forum (NTSF) Chairman Lucas Kudate, the traders said: “It has been over five months now since the County Government through the Urban planning department demolished our structures without giving us an alternative.”
“Nothing has been done to ensure small-scale traders get a place to conduct their businesses,” he lamented.
Traders affected include curio shops, those selling fresh farm products, Mitumba (second hand clothes) Mpesa shops.
Irked by mushrooming slums, the County Government issued a one-week ultimatum to the owners of illegal structures to demolish them. In a letter from the Urban planning department’s Chief Officer, Justus Rutto dated November 21, 2017 the kiosk owners had been given notice to remove their kiosks failure to which the County Government would demolish them.
Kudate who contested the Town’s Ward seat in the last elections decried poor state of the markets such as the Uhuru Market and Town market that should be hosting the displaced traders.
Some of the affected traders who spoke to the media said they were frustrated after their structures were pulled down.
“We chose to stay here since we have nowhere to sell our wares,” they said.