Gikomba traders are latest to count hundreds of millions in losses after their premises were demolished by orders from Ruto's government on account of being located on riparian areas.
The small-scale traders have lamented by saying that they have lost their livelihoods and will not be able to sustain their families after being evicted from their homes.
“We feel betrayed and neglected by the same government that we elected to champion and protect the hustlers. This is painful, they told us about bottom-up and we believed. Personally, I have incurred a loss of over Sh500,000 worth of stock that was inside the stall,” said Pauline Ngumbi who was unable to salvage items in the stall.
Farmers of coffee, tea, dairy, macadamia, and Muguka are in despair while the Gikomba traders protest. Farmers who grow muguka and miraa in the counties of Embu and Meru are protesting the recent prohibition on the trading of muguka in Mombasa, Killfi, and Taita Taveta.
The MP for Embakasi North, James Gakuya, asserts that the Kenya Kwanza administration is pursuing a concerted plan to "oppress and finish Mt Kenya economically," while also charging the administration with betraying its commitments to the Mt Kenya region.
He said that Gachagua was powerless as the President, he alleged, was orchestrating the divide and rule strategy that would cause him to be victimized as well and lose his position as running partner in 2027.
During the 2022 election period, Kenya Kwanza pledged to revitalize the agriculture sector and ensure Minimum Guaranteed Returns (MGR) for the coffee, tea, miraa, avocado, and macadamia sub-sectors, but this promise has yet to be fulfilled.
Critics of the handshake between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga argue that the former President neglected the development of his own region, instead redirecting billions to Nyanza to appease his new political ally.
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