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Mosiria: We cannot allow illegal structures in the name of poverty
12th March, 2026 03:31 PM
Nairobi County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria has defended the county’s ongoing crackdown on illegal roadside businesses, saying poverty cannot be used as a reason to put up unlawful structures in the city.
In a statement shared on his Instagram page on Thursday, March 12, 2026, Mosiria spoke about the need to maintain order in the capital while still supporting small traders who rely on informal businesses to survive.
The county official said he recently spotted a smokie vendor operating by the roadside. The incident prompted him to call for ideas on how the government can support small traders while ensuring they operate within the law.
Mosiria explained that the county government cannot sit back and allow people to break the law by putting up structures along roads and public spaces simply because they are trying to earn a living. According to him, such activities create disorder in the city, yet some markets remain empty or underutilised.
He maintained that hawkers are important members of society who are simply trying to earn a legitimate livelihood, but insisted that their businesses must operate legally. Mosiria noted that the county’s position is not to dismiss the struggles of small traders, but to ensure that businesses are conducted in an organised manner within designated markets and trading spaces.
“Nipe maoni vile tutasaidia wakulima wadogo. But again, we can’t sit down as a government and watch them break the law, creating illegal structures in the name that they are poor and must earn a living while our markets are empty,” Mosiria stated.
Adding;
‘It’s illegal, and let’s not support illegality because we must have order in our capital city. But that doesn’t mean that hawkers are useless; they matter the most. They are our citizens, and they are looking for a legitimate livelihood. What we say is that there must be order, help them to do their business legally, utilise existing markets and ensure that our city continues to be organised and respectful.”
Demolitions
His remarks come as Nairobi County has intensified enforcement against informal structures erected along roads, walkways and public spaces. In recent months, Mosiria has been at the centre of several operations targeting illegal dumpsites, unlicensed clubs, illegal alcohol and businesses operating without proper approvals.
At the same time, demolitions of structures built on road reserves have also been carried out by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), which has been reclaiming land meant for highways and road expansion projects.
KeNHA has previously warned traders and property owners against putting up businesses along road corridors, noting that such developments obstruct transport infrastructure and pose safety risks to motorists and pedestrians.
The agency has since demolished several structures built along major highways and road reserves as part of efforts to protect road infrastructure and restore order in affected areas.
