Jua Kali artisans in Kisumu will next week demand for allotment letters from the county government after a parcel they were relocated to operate from was disputed, an official has said.
The artisans said a businessman had claimed ownership of the one-acre land given to them by the city manager, Doris Ombara, and placed beacons on it.
They are now asking the government to secure the parcel as after they were evicted from the town centre.
“We need assurance that we will not be evicted out of the new location even after the current government is out of office. We therefore ask the government to provide us with that safeguard this relocation,” said John ‘Copako’ Ouma, the chairman of the artisans’ association.
Mr Copako, who was elected to the office a week ago, pledged to fight for the welfare of the artisans that are divided into 13 groups.
The traders now demand government guarantee that they would not be evicted from the new location even after the tenure of the current government expires.
City planner Evelyne Otieno, however, opposed calls by the artisans to who have title deeds given to them and said it would be in the county government’s name.
Mr Copako said they would also get rid of old houses and disused vehicle bodies at Block 7, which was the only area that remained unaffected by the evictions from city centre, to accommodate more artisans.
The area has over the past 20 years been occupied by a few artisans who also claimed ownership over the land.