Police hold Embakasi MP Waititu in Nairobi demo
Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu (centre) is led away by police during a demonstration to protest the demolition of the Uhuru open-air market in Nairobi July 20, 2012. DENNIS OKEYO
By SILAS APOLLO sapollo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, July 20 2012 at 13:15
Posted Friday, July 20 2012 at 13:15
Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu was picked up by police during a demonstration to protest the demolition of the Uhuru open-air market in Nairobi.
Mr Waititu arrived at the scene after receiving calls from stall owners that the market was being demolished.
The MP ordered the traders to demolish a perimeter wall.
He was arrested and taken to the Jogoo Police Station to record a statement.
According to the traders, the demolition was illegal and unauthorised since they were neither issued with a notice to vacate the land nor a court order.
The stall owners were surprised to find police officers manning the area.
They claimed that the land where the market stood belonged to the City Council and that no one had the right to kick them out.
According to their outgoing chairman Peter Kariuki, they have been operating in the market for many years.
“We sense foul play in this deal since this market has been operational for a long time. I personally grew up here,” he said.
Jane Wangari, who has been trading in the market for the last 22 years, echoed Mr Kariuki's sentiments.
The traders claimed that the land buyer was an Ethiopian investor who had colluded with their new chairman and the City Council to purchase the land.
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