Calm returns at City Market after daylong battle of traders over space
Normal business has resumed at City Market in Nairobi following a daylong disruption of operations at the busy market on Monday.
This was occasioned by a standoff between stall owners and traders selling at the market without shops leading to the former closing their stalls in protest.
A spot check by the Daily Nation on Tuesday morning observed normal operations with all of the shops closed on Monday now opened and customers streaming in to buy the commodities sold at the market including fish, beef, chicken and pork.
Kamundia Mathenge, owner of Kamundia Butchery, said that they have decided to resume normal operations as they chart the way forward.
HAWKERS
He said that they have not reached any agreement with the hawkers but they decided to open their shops as the matter was now being politicized.
“We have decided to open but we are still consulting as a group on what to do next. Our fears are that the issue has been politicized and could lead to anarchy as a result of misrepresentation of facts,” said Mr Mathenge.
On the other hand the other traders under the organization Kenyanam Lake Fish Dealers Association said they do not have any problems with their counterparts and will conduct business as usual.
“As you can see they have opened and we are also going on with our business. There is no bad blood between us,” said Titus Odhiambo, a former leader of the association.
TRADE FEUD
On Monday, business at the popular meat market was disrupted following a dispute between stall owners and their counterparts without shops at the market with the former protesting the return of the other traders who do not have stalls at the market.
The feud between the traders continued for the better part of the day with each side claiming space in the busy meat market.
The stall owners had vowed to continue closing their chops until the issue is sorted out and status quo restored.
However, the hawkers continued operating despite their colleague’s protest insisting that they have a right to be at the market claiming that they had been allowed to return by the county government.