Ruiru town was on Wednesday afternoon rocked by protests after county askaris and police launched an operation to evict traders from the Masaku area market.
Lynn Muriuki, one of the traders at the market, said the police forced them out despite some of them having been conducting their businesses at the market for years.
Muriuki said the decision to evict the traders from the market was reached at after residents complained of criminals and drug peddlers using the market as their hideout. She said several cases of residents being mugged at the market had been reported to police.
Officers conducting the operation were forced to lob tear gas to disperse irate traders who were opposing the evictions.
A police source who didn’t want to be named said that the Masaku area had been occupied by criminals and thugs who mug passersby even during the day. The source cited the increased reports filed by residents at police stations in the area.
Traders at the Ruiru open-air market were also affected by the demonstrations as the protesters blocked the road leading to the market.
A section of residents however lauded the move, noting that they have been victims of the muggings reported in the area.
“It’s a good move even if it has taken so long for them to realise how badly we have suffered. I have been mugged at Masaku more than two times and no one was arrested despite reporting the cases to the police,” said William Kamanja.
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