Hawkers who have been selling their items at Kamwangi Town have cried foul over demolition of their kiosks on Sunday night.
Terming the decision as insensitive, the hawkers said on Monday that the demolitions had left them in very awkward positions.
They called on Kiambu County government to provide them with an alternative place to continue their businesses as that was their only source of livelihood.
"It is shocking to arrive at the site with our wares only to find our kiosks demolished and remains taken away to unknown destinations," said John Karuga, a vendor.
Gatundu North sub county commissioner Daniel Nyamiti has however defended the demolitions, arguing that the hawkers were putting their lives at risk by operating along a busy highway with speeding vehicles.
Nyamiti said some traders had in the past knocked down by vehicles that lost control.
"The county government of Kiambu gave the hawkers an alternative to trade from near Kamweni Business Park, but they declined the offer. The hawkers are exposing themselves to a busy Kamwangi-Flyover which my department will not condone," he said on Monday morning.
In January this year, a hawker died and 3 others were injured after a lorry lost control along the busy highway, knocking two vehicles within the area before finally landing into a ditch a kilometer away.
The driver of the lorry that was travelling from Thika lost control when its brakes failed near Kamwangi Town, hitting two vehicles from behind.
Some pedestrians and roadside traders were also injured in the process.