Mombasa County demolishes over 100 Muguka stalls

The open-air market is the major source of Muguka where traders especially from Kisauni, Likoni and other parts of the county get their stocks.

The stalls are near five schools, two secondary schools and three primary schools, in Mvita Sub-County.

County Inspectorate director Mohammed Amir said the county health department ordered the removal of the traders due to high addiction rates among minors and the youth.

"The health department has also complained of the business being conducted near schools, allowing some students to easily access the stimulant," said Mr Amir.

The demolition comes a day after Mombasa ward representatives proposed a ban on the sale and consumption of Muguka citing high addiction rate.

The ban is however yet to be passed by the county assembly.

The assembly's Health Committee, led by its deputy chairperson Fatma Kushe, said the addictive stimulant has negatively impacted the health and well-being of young people in Mombasa.

Protest

The traders however, protested against the exercise that saw more than 100 stalls brought down.

The traders accused the county askaris of unfairly targeting them and bringing to an end their source of income.

“This is where I have been getting my daily bread to feed my children. We have not forced any one to come buy Muguka why are they doing this to us?

"Is it because we cannot fight back? They have been collecting money every day from us meaning we are operating legally,” said Gabriel Kithaka, a trader.

Another trader, Miriam Wangeci, protested why the county was not bothered by other drug sellers.

"They are forcing us to go back to crime. We do not have jobs to do and now that we have got something to fend ourselves they are bringing issues to our business,” she said.