NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 24 — The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued a fresh seven-day ultimatum to roadside traders operating along sections of the Thika Superhighway, directing them to remove their wares and vacate the road reserve to pave the way for key road safety and infrastructure upgrades.
In a public notice dated February 23, KeNHA notified traders operating at Kihunguro, Allsops, and the Delview section on both sides of the highway to clear the road reserve within seven days.
The clearance is intended to facilitate the construction of designated roadside stations aimed at improving corridor functionality, enhancing safety standards, and easing chronic traffic congestion along the busy transport corridor.
“The project is part of the Authority’s ongoing road safety improvement initiatives that seek to reduce accidents, enhance order within the road reserve, and ensure the unobstructed flow of traffic along the highway,” KeNHA said in the notice signed by Director General Luka Kimeli.
The agency warned that failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe would attract enforcement action in accordance with existing laws governing road reserves.
The directive comes amid an intensified nationwide crackdown on road reserve encroachment, particularly along major highways.
KeNHA has consistently maintained that road reserves are protected corridors designed to guarantee safety, allow future expansion, and prevent obstruction of highways. According to the authority, illegal structures and roadside trading pose risks to motorists and pedestrians while also interfering with drainage systems and infrastructure maintenance.
Demolitions
On February 19, small-scale traders along Thika Road were left counting losses after KeNHA enforcement teams, accompanied by security officers and excavators, demolished kiosks and makeshift structures in the Githurai area.
Witnesses said the operation took place shortly before dusk, with rows of wooden stalls flattened as traders scrambled to salvage their merchandise.
Several affected traders accused authorities of heavy-handed enforcement, saying they had operated in the area for years and had only received verbal warnings prior to the demolitions.
Tensions escalated further when demonstrations erupted in Githurai following a final vacation notice issued by KeNHA.
Protesters lit bonfires and blocked Nairobi-bound lanes with burning tyres, paralysing traffic along the overpass and prompting police intervention. Running skirmishes between protesters and security officers lasted into the evening, highlighting growing friction between informal traders and authorities over urban planning and public land use.
In a separate notice dated February 9, 2026, KeNHA had also issued a seven-day ultimatum to traders operating at Roysambu and Githurai sections of the highway to vacate road reserves to allow for the construction of designated bus bays and the expansion of service lanes.
The agency said the bus bays would provide safe and orderly passenger pick-up and drop-off points, reducing illegal stops by public service vehicles and easing congestion.
The Thika Superhighway, one of the country’s busiest transport corridors, has long been plagued by congestion and safety concerns, particularly around informal bus stops and roadside trading zones.
