The Anchor

By Anchor Writer

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued a final eviction notice giving traders operating along the Macha

kos–Katumani (B60) Road until February 26, 2026 to vacate the road reserve.

The notice, sets the stage for a high-stakes confrontation in Machakos town as County officials and Ward MCA align with the traders to resist eviction.
In the latest letter dated January 14, 2026, and received on January 15, 2026, KeNHA’s Eastern Region directs traders to remove all structures encroaching on the road reserve on or before February 26, 2026, warning that failure to comply will result in forced removal at the traders’ cost and further legal action.
The notice, signed by Eng. K. Kariuki, the Regional Director, says the authority is undertaking the expansion of pedestrian walkways and clearing of encroachments along the corridor to improve road safety.
KeNHA cites National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) data showing that pedestrians account for about 38 per cent of all road fatalities in Kenya, translating to roughly 13 deaths daily.
The authority says that despite previous notices, trading activities continue to encroach on the road reserve, interfering with planned construction works and exposing school children and other vulnerable road users to danger.
Encroachment on a road reserve, KeNHA notes, is an offence under the Kenya Roads Act, 2007 (Section 49) and the Traffic Act, Cap 403.
The February 26 ultimatum has been flatly rejected by Machakos Town MCA Nicholas Nzioka, who has vowed that traders will not move. Nzioka, who previously worked in the Municipality as an environment officer is also linked to the growth of container based ‘shops’ that are targeted for demolition.
“These traders are not vacating. We will not allow livelihoods to be destroyed under the pretext of road works,” Nzioka said, escalating the standoff between county leadership and the national roads agency.
His remarks have emboldened traders, many of whom say they will remain in place even after the deadline lapses.
The eviction drive has been clouded by allegations that pressure to clear the kiosks is being driven by an Asian traders who own property adjacent to the Kitui Road junction and is allegedly seeking to extend it once the kiosks are removed. Part of an existing building already touches the backside of the kiosks. Once the kiosks go, the property will gain frontline exposure to the busy road.

The truth is that the kiosks that belong to county officials have been constructed between the road and the Hindu Sabbah property, denying it the lucrative road frontage.
Traders claim the focus on their kiosks, while other encroachments persist, points to selective enforcement designed to advance private commercial interests rather than public safety.
KeNHA has not publicly responded to the allegation.
The kiosks were erected in the dying days of the defunct Machakos Municipal Council, a period widely associated with lax enforcement and questionable approvals.
While traders in other parts of the heavily congested road  have already cleared road reserves following earlier warnings, this particular section has become contentious as it is arguably an attractive trading area.

It has  high commercial value and proximity to the ever buzzing Machakos University corridor.
Urban planners warn that strict enforcement of the road reserve could extend beyond kiosks. Several permanent buildings with balconies and extensions are said to intrude into the same reserve.
Traders argue that removing kiosks alone, while leaving permanent structures untouched, would amount to discriminatory enforcement.
“If this is truly about reclaiming the road reserve, then even balconies must be affected,” one trader said.
With the February 26, 2026 deadline approaching, Machakos town is bracing for a possible showdown involving traders, county leaders, and KeNHA enforcement teams.
At stake are livelihoods, urban planning integrity, and lingering questions over whether public infrastructure enforcement is being shaped by road safety priorities or private commercial interests.

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