Nairobi County arrests traders, demolishes illegal structures

It was chaos, running battles and confrontation as Nairobi County enforcement officers raided illegal structures in Lavington on Thursday.

One hundred and twenty traders operating the structures were arrested and more than 100 illegal structures were demolished.

Mr Peter Mbaya, unit's director, said the crackdown is part of the ongoing operation by the county government to rid the capital city of illegal structures across all the 17 sub-counties.

"We were dealing with the small structures. We wanted to arrest as many as possible and take them to court to act as a deterrent to others.

"We were enforcing all the illegalities. There were some who were dumping wastes, some cooking by the roadside while others were hawking," Mr Mbaya said.

NOTICE
He added that that the operation will go on until the county is devoid of the structures.

The official singled out Fedha Estate, Kasarani, Roysambu and Dagoretti North as the most affected by illegal structures.

"In Fedha Estate alone we demolished like 1,200 structures, in Kasarani 250 structures. UP to today we have demolished over 9,000 structures," he said.

On the confrontations between his officers and the traders, Mr Mbaya said that was a normal occurrence as the traders always resist arrest.

"Before we do anything we always give notices..." he said.

LICENCES

The traders will be charged at City Hall courts with various offences ranging from hawking to selling food without a health permit.

"Some of them are already in court while others will be taken to police stations," Mr Mbaya said.

He asked the traders to either apply for licences.

"Today was Dagoretti North but tomorrow we are going to Kasarani and we will have to go in all the 17 sub-counties. The operation will be in every sub-county on a daily basis."