The Environment and Land Court has issued orders stopping the planned demolition of Gikomba Market in Nairobi, dealing a blow to the county government. The ruling follows a petition filed by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and other applicants. The court has directed that the status quo be maintained until the case is heard.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Lillian Kimani, the Environment and Land Court ordered the county government to immediately halt the planned demolitions until the case challenging the exercise is heard. This followed a Notice of Motion dated March 3, 2026, filed by Babu Owino under a Certificate of Urgency. The court stated that the issues raised are urgent and will be best determined after hearing all parties inter partes, directing that the current status quo on the suit land be maintained.
Babu Owino dismissed the government's and Governor Sakaja's administration's plans to demolish the market for development purposes, emphasizing that people's interests should be prioritized. "Through our legal team, we moved to court to stop the demolition of Gikomba Market, and the Court has issued orders to stop the demolition," Babu said in a statement on March 4. "Gikomba is not just a marketplace. It is the heartbeat of thousands of families, small traders, and hardworking Kenyans who depend on it every single day. We must respect our people. We must protect livelihoods. We must uphold dignity."
Traders at the market have faced eviction and demolition threats for many years due to claims that some stalls are built on riparian reserves. Gikomba is one of Nairobi's main markets, dealing primarily in non-food items such as second-hand clothes, household goods, and hardware supplies. It employs hundreds of residents in the informal sector who rely on it directly and indirectly.
The planned demolitions were part of a directive issued on May 3, 2024, when the Interior Ministry ordered the removal of structures unlawfully constructed along riparian land in Nairobi. Babu urged all parties to comply with the court's directive to ensure the traders' rights are safeguarded.