More than 2,000 traders in Kitale have been left uncertain about their livelihoods after a 24-hour eviction notice was issued at the newly opened Masinde Muliro Market.

The directive has deepened a dispute between President William Ruto and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya. It has also raised questions about who should occupy the market and how its stalls should be allocated.

The market was largely deserted on Tuesday, October 27, as traders waited for clarity. Heavy security had been maintained around the complex amid the growing dispute.

Traders Caught in the Dispute

The eviction notice was issued on Monday. It followed Ruto’s official opening of the market earlier in October and the allocation of stalls to traders.

For many, the move brought fresh uncertainty after preparations had already been made to resume business.

Kapchanga Manyoa, a trader in Kitale, said the situation had caused confusion among those who had invested in their stalls.

“Inaleta mchanganiko na mtafaruku,” he said, describing the uncertainty and disruption facing traders who had already established their businesses.

For small-scale traders, every day without business can mean lost income. The dispute has left many waiting to learn whether they will be allowed to continue operating at the facility.

County Cites Missing Certificate

The county government has defended the notice by citing the absence of an occupation certificate. It has said that stalls will be allocated in due course, in line with the law.

Pius Gumo, the county executive committee member for lands, housing and physical planning, questioned whether the current occupants were the people who had received official offers from the county.

“The people issued with offer letters by the county are not the ones currently inside the market,” he said. “We do not know the people occupying it now.”

The county’s position is that occupation must follow the required legal and administrative procedures. The notice also places the responsibility on traders to establish their entitlement to the stalls.

A Market Built Over Several Years

Construction of the 3,000-capacity facility was initiated by the county government in 2017.

Ruto later announced an additional KSh56 million to help complete the remaining works and improve conditions for traders. The project has therefore involved both county and national government participation.

However, disagreements have emerged over the project’s ownership, funding and allocation of stalls. Natembeya has previously argued that the market was built using county resources and that the county should oversee its management.

The competing positions have complicated the reopening of a facility intended to provide traders with more organised working spaces.

Livelihoods Hang in the Balance

The immediate concern remains the traders’ future. Many had expected the new market to offer a more secure place to conduct business.

Instead, the eviction notice has left them facing uncertainty over their stalls and daily earnings.

The county says allocations will be handled within the law. But traders need clear guidance on which documents will be recognised and what steps they must take to retain their spaces.

Until the dispute is resolved, the people most directly affected are the traders whose livelihoods depend on the market.

The challenge now is to establish a clear, lawful allocation process and prevent the dispute between the two levels of government from prolonging the disruption to business in Kitale.