Police in Ruiru are engaging with the irate market protestors and traders in the area on Friday after they woke up and found that their stalls were demolished and burnt down. The traders said that they had not been consulted and that they should be compensated immediately by the county government or else they will storm the county headquarters.
It is alleged that the county government officials on Thursday night while escorted by police forces demolished the stalls and burnt them down alleging to have been given orders from above. The traders have however accused the demolishers of doing it behind their backs as they arrived at around 9:00pm to carry out the demolition when everyone had gone home.
The situation along the Thika road has become intense as heavy traffic has been experienced after the irate traders burnt tyres at the middle of the road thus closing the Thika road before the police arrived at the scene.
The Ruiru OCPD Isaac Thuranira has said that the demolitions were aimed at an operation for flashing out criminals from the area and added that the police are aware that the Railway area and the stalls have been the hiding dens for the criminals.
He added that the traders should calm down and let the police do their work as the stalls are not permanent and therefore others will be constructed after the police flash out criminals.
No leader has arrived at the scene to address the issue yet.