Kenha starts clearing road reserves along Mombasa-Malindi highway

MOMBASA, KENYA: Scores of traders operating at the popular Kengeleni stage, Kisauni, along the busy Mombasa- Malindi highway will now have to move elsehwhere after their structures were flattened.

In a move that caught many unawares, a demolition squad backed by armed police descended on the busy clothes mini market early Thursday morning flattening all structures that lay on the parcel of land adjacent to the main highway.

''We never saw notices warning us of today’s exercise. It was just rumours that we will be moved out of this place and here they are today,'' Ali Mwadigha , a trader who specializes in women wear said.

Another trader, Jane Ngiri said that the government ought to have given them alternative place to conduct their businesses.

''We dont know where to go from here. We have famillies depending on us,'' she protested.

Hundreds of traders were at the scene trying to salvage what had remained after the unexpected destruction.

But speaking on telephone from Nairobi, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), Assistant Director , Corporate Communications, Mr Charles Njogu said that the exercise was part of  nationwide crackdown to reclaim road reserves encroached by private developers.

'' We are currently undertaking vital clean up on our road reserves throughout the republic, particularly in urban and peri urban areas where road reserve encroachment is massive,'' Njogu said.

Njogu said those encroaching on road reserves were endangering the lives of road users as they blocked visibility.

'' Road reserves should be left clear for future road expansions.Kenha is keen to enhance road safety within road networks,'' Njogu said.