Rigathi Gachagua Pleads With Sakaja To Stop Eviction Of Wakulima Market Traders: "Please My Brother"

• Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was aggrieved by the Nairobi county's enforcement of the eviction of Wakulima Market traders
• Chaos was witnessed on Thursday, September 12, as police faced off with the traders who objected to their relocation to the new Kangundo Road Market
• Weighing in on the matter, Gachagua argued that Governor Johnson Sakaja should have engaged the traders before forcing them out of the market

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has faulted Governor Johnson Sakaja for sanctioning the eviction of Wakulima Market traders.

County inspectorate officers faced off with the traders Tuesday morning, September 12, as they forced their relocation to the newly opened Kangundo Road Market.

The county seeks to decongest the city by relocating small-scale traders to the periphery to ease traffic flow in the city centre.

Chaos erupted, prompting the intervention of the police, who were forced to deploy tear gas and water cannons to quell the chaos.

Weighing in on the matter, Gachagua took issue with the county's mode of operation.

He said it would have been rational had the governor engaged the traders before enforcing the eviction as stipulated in a notice served to them.

Seeming to strike a conciliatory tone, a usually abrasive Gachagua reminded Sakaja -whom he called "my younger brother"- that the people whose relocation he was unceremoniously enforcing voted for him in the 2022 elections.

The deputy president suggested the city county boss had reneged on the promises and commitments he made to the traders while seeking their votes.

"We gave a commitment that our Administration will never disrupt their lives or undermine their economic activities. Our Constitution provides for public participation before any major decisions that have a serious impact on the welfare of our citizens are taken. Kindly, do consider having a sitting with the leadership of the market to agree on whatever changes your Government desires without adversely affecting their livelihoods," said Gachagua via a Facebook update.