The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has begun demolitions along the 84-kilometre Kisii-Kadongo and Kadongo-Ahero (A1) Road.
The exercise, carried out by KeNHA’s Corridor D Management Team on July 16, 2026, focused on four major trading centres along the busy highway, including Nyamataro, Nyakoe, Misambi and Kadongo trading centres.
This bore the brunt of the demolitions as bulldozers razed structures to clear encroachments.
Business owners and residents could be seen watching as structures they had built over the years came crashing down within hours.
According to reports, the demolished structures included unauthorised buildings, illegal signage, and access culverts constructed without KeNHA’s approval.
For many small traders, the road reserve had become an extension of their shops, a convenient but illegal arrangement that finally caught up with them.
However, KeNHA distanced itself from the constant and usual claims of the transport authority not having issued the traders with a vacation notice prior, pointing out the 30-day eviction and demolition notice issued on May 28, followed by weeks-long public participation.
According to KeNH, the exercise was necessary to protect the road reserve for both current use and future infrastructure expansion.
