NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 31 — Tension gripped Gikomba Market after county authorities moved in overnight to demolish a section of the busy trading hub, leaving dozens of traders counting losses and questioning the manner of enforcement.The operation, led by Nairobi County officials, targeted part of the market’s shoe section, with structures brought down under heavy security following the expiry of an earlier eviction notice.By morning, traders found their stalls destroyed and goods scattered, bringing business to a halt in one of Nairobi’s most vibrant informal markets.County officials said the demolition forms part of an ongoing crackdown on structures built on riparian land, arguing that the affected stalls were located within a protected river reserve.The action is linked to a broader government directive issued by the Ministry of Interior in May 2024, which ordered the removal of developments encroaching on waterways in a bid to reduce flooding risks.Officials insist the exercise followed due process, maintaining that traders had been given sufficient notice to vacate.Traders expressed anger over the demolition, describing it as a major economic setback.Many said they had invested heavily in their businesses and were struggling to come to terms with the sudden destruction.Some admitted they were aware of the planned evictions but had hoped authorities would provide more time or alternative relocation options.The push to clear riparian land intensified after recent floods caused widespread damage and loss of life across the country, with Nairobi among the hardest-hit areas.Government agencies have defended the demolitions as necessary to restore drainage systems and prevent future disasters, warning that continued encroachment on riverbanks puts lives at risk.Urban planning experts have long cautioned that building along waterways interferes with natural water flow, increasing the likelihood and severity of flooding during heavy rains.The demolitions come even as a case remains active at the Environment and Land Court, where residents and traders have challenged planned evictions along the Nairobi River.Justice Lilian Kimani recently issued interim orders halting demolitions in several affected areas, including parts of Gikomba, pending a full hearing.Petitioners argue that they are legitimate occupants, some having held allocation rights for decades, and accuse authorities of applying a blanket 30-metre riparian rule without scientific assessment.They further claim the evictions disproportionately affect low-income communities and could lead to mass displacement and loss of livelihoods.The developments highlight the growing tension between enforcement of urban planning regulations and the survival of informal traders who depend on such spaces for income.As legal proceedings continue, attention now turns to how authorities will balance environmental protection with the need to safeguard livelihoods and ensure fair, humane enforcement.