There was tension at the office of the governor of Elgeyo Marakwet on Monday, May 5, after irate traders stormed the premises to protest against an alleged plan to evict them from Iten town.
The protesters attempted to force their way into the offices, even as they vowed to reject Governor Wisley Rotich's plan to eject them from the town.
Armed with placards and twigs, the residents said there was a plan to set up a mall on land where they have set up their businesses.
Shouts of "where will we go?" rend the air as tens of traders demanded a way forward from the county government regarding their relocation.
With no response at the governor's office, the residents resorted to chants against the county government.
In 2024, Governor Rotich launched a modernisation drive in the county, which started with a groundbreaking ceremony for Sh50 million market in Iten town. The modern market would be multi-storey, with the capacity to accommodate at least 600 business operators.
The government, through the Ministry of Housing, also revealed plans to establish similar markets in Chepkorio, Kapcherop and Kapyego centres.
Despite the radical move, it was met with some resistance from sections of traders, who were perhaps concerned about potentially getting displaced. This tension boiled over on Monday, when they stormed the county government offices in protest.
During the commissioning of the Ksh50m project, Governor Rotich, wary of the potential resistance from some members of the public, called on traders and plot owners to embrace modern change.
"The town has stagnated because of some individual plot owners who have decided to make land so dear to their hearts," Rotich said in 2024. "They are growing old and can't develop their plots either. Their children should persuade them on how the commercial properties can be used."
This latest incident summed up an emerging trend in the country where citizens come together to infiltrate public offices to air their grievances. As recently as on Wednesday, April 30, hundreds of residents stormed a police station in Nyahururu calling for a transfer of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS).
Led by community leaders, the residents infiltrated the station in peaceful demonstrations as they openly faulted the incumbent OCS for what they termed poor service delivery.
