Natembeya Orders Traders Who Received Stalls From Ruto to Vacate Kitale Market

Traders at the Masinde Muliro Market in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, are facing uncertainty after the county government led by Governor George Natembeya issued a 24-hour notice directing them to vacate the premises.

The directive has placed the traders at a crossroads, with many facing the risk of losing their businesses and daily sources of income following the latest development in the dispute between Natembeya’s administration and President William Ruto.

The notice, issued by the county executive committee member for Lands, Housing, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Omulo Pius Gumo, requires all occupants to remove their goods and leave the multi-storey business complex.

According to the county government, the building lacks an Occupation Certificate, which is required before the premises can be legally occupied.

The administration cited planning laws and warned that failure to comply could lead to enforcement action, including the re-securing of stalls and recovery of the associated costs from the occupants.

The development comes amid a dispute over the market, which was commissioned by President William Ruto, who allocated stalls to traders.

The handover subsequently exposed disagreements between the national government and Natembeya’s administration over the management and completion of the facility.

Natembeya has previously accused the national government of failing to honour a KSh200 million pledge towards completing the market, while Ruto has criticised the governor’s development record.

The latest directive has therefore raised questions about the future of the traders who received stalls during the presidential handover and whether they will be allowed to continue operating after their documents are reviewed.

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