This archive report was first published on 27 June 2020.
On the night of Friday, June 26, 2020, a group of National Youth Service recruits descended upon the Gikomba market in Nairobi, demolishing stalls that traders had reconstructed following a devastating fire that broke out on Thursday, June 25.
According to Starehe Member of Parliament Charles Jaguar, who confirmed the incident in a series of tweets on Saturday, June 27, the demolition was carried out with the presence of General Service Unit officers, who were providing protection and backup to the NYS recruits.
"NYS recruits are in Gikomba right now. They are demolishing stalls that traders had reconstructed after a mysterious fire razed them on Thursday morning," tweeted Jaguar.
Condemning the demolitions, Jaguar called for an immediate halt to the exercise and asked the NYS recruits to vacate the market immediately. He instead asked security officers present at the Gikomba market to guard the reconstructed stalls and other properties owned by the traders.
"The government exists to protect property. It should not oversee its destruction," said Jaguar.
Earlier, Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho had visited the market after the fire broke out and promised each trader KSh 10,000 compensation. However, the demolition of the stalls has raised suspicions about the government's intentions.
