The demolition took place on the night of Sunday, March 8, 2026, when bulldozers moved in and flattened most of the structures at the busy market.
The operation came just days after the Nairobi City County government issued a 72-hour eviction notice requiring traders to vacate the area.
Videos circulating on social media showed distressed traders combing through the rubble on Monday morning, attempting to salvage any goods or materials that may have survived the demolition.
However, most of the stalls were completely destroyed, leaving many traders with little or nothing to recover.
The affected traders expressed anger and frustration over the move, saying the demolition was carried out despite a pending court case over the matter.
Many questioned why the county government proceeded with the exercise without providing them with an alternative location to continue their businesses.
Some traders said they have depended on the market for decades to support their families and accused authorities of disregarding their livelihoods.
The demolition comes just days after hundreds of traders staged protests on March 6, 2026, barricading Jogoo Road in opposition to the planned eviction.
The protest caused major traffic disruptions as traders demanded the county government reconsider the decision and engage them in dialogue.
The Uhuru Market demolition also follows recent clearance operations by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) at the Roysambu Roundabout along Thika Road.
During the operation on March 4, authorities pulled down stalls and kiosks that had encroached on public land near the highway.
Attempts to demolish structures at Uhuru Market have previously sparked chaos. In March 2025, traders blocked Jogoo Road and lit bonfires to protest plans to clear the market, prompting running battles with anti-riot police and causing major traffic disruptions in the area.
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