Demolitions near Nyayo Stadium have ripped the mask off Nairobi’s dirty land deals. In a shocking night operation, bulldozers flattened businesses worth millions on land allegedly grabbed by Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi.
The target was a prime railway line parcel opposite Nyayo National Stadium, quietly turned into a car wash and carpet-cleaning business. Police guarded the site as machines tore through livelihoods in the darkness.
The demolitions revived painful memories of past crackdowns and raised hard questions about power, privilege, and accountability in Kenya’s land wars.
Demolitions Near Nyayo Stadium Reveal a Pattern of Power and Impunity
The demolitions took place on Tuesday night, January 13, along Douglas Wakiihiru Road, just behind Nyayo National Stadium. Heavy machinery moved in under tight police watch. Bulldozers and excavators crushed buildings, vehicles, and business structures within hours.
Photos obtained by the Nyakundi Report show the scale of destruction. Excavators reduced permanent structures to rubble. Cars lay wrecked in yards. Restaurants, car washes, and roadside businesses vanished overnight. Armed officers sealed off the area and managed the operation as traffic snarled along Langata Road.
Sources on the ground linked some of the demolished properties to a sitting governor. Investigations point to Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi as a key beneficiary of the seized land. Reports indicate that a railway reserve parcel had been converted into a private business hub, including a carpet-cleaning and car-wash operation opposite the stadium.
The government defended the demolitions. Officials cited an upcoming infrastructure project as the reason for the night raid. The cleared corridor will host a new train station designed to link Nairobi CBD to Nyayo Stadium and the planned Talanta Stadium. Authorities insist they issued multiple eviction notices before the operation.
Yet the manner of execution raised anger and suspicion. Residents and traders watched helplessly as police blocked access. Burning tyres appeared on the road as some business owners attempted to protest. The resistance failed. Machines kept moving.
Alleged Wamatangi Land Grab Comes Back to Haunt Him
That earlier demolition wiped out a row of businesses. The complex housed a restaurant, pharmacy, salon, boutique, and cosmetics shop. Authorities then argued that the structures sat on public land reserved for transport infrastructure.
Despite the demolition, the land did not stay idle. New businesses soon emerged on the same parcel. Investigators now say the revived operations included a car wash and carpet-cleaning business linked to the Kiambu governor. The return raised questions about how a demolished public reserve quietly reverted to private use.
The latest night operation appears to have closed that chapter, at least for now. However, critics argue that the damage goes beyond bricks and steel. They say the case shows how powerful individuals exploit public land, rebuild after demolitions, and only face action when major state projects force the issue.
Night Demolitions Spark Wider Fears and Public Anger
The demolitions near Nyayo Stadium echo similar scenes across Nairobi. Just months earlier, traders in Ngara took to the streets after unknown people demolished their shops at Fig Tree Market. The protests erupted on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
In Ngara, developers targeted kiosks and shops to pave the way for modern housing units. Traders said they held valid leases. Authorities argued that the leases had expired. When traders refused to leave, demolition followed.
The pattern looks familiar. Authorities issue notices. Confusion follows. Night operations roll in with police cover. Small traders lose everything. Powerful players often walk away unscathed.
In the Nyayo case, the involvement of a sitting governor deepens public outrage. Kenyans question why enforcement seems selective and delayed. They ask why illegal developments survive for years, generate millions, and only fall when megaprojects demand space.
