The clock is ticking for traders along the Thika Superhighway. In a decisive move to reclaim road reserves, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued a strict seven-day eviction notice to all vendors operating at the Roysambu and Githurai sections, signaling the start of a major infrastructure upgrade.

The notice, dated February 9, 2026, is not a request; it is a final warning. KeNHA has declared that the areas must be cleared to pave the way for the construction of designated bus bays. The move aims to unclog the notorious traffic bottlenecks at these key entry points to the city, where matatus and traders often fight for space, spilling onto the highway.

Order in the Chaos

For years, Roysambu and Githurai have been the wild west of Nairobi’s transport network. Pedestrians, hawkers, and buses coexist in a dangerous dance that slows traffic to a crawl and endangers lives. KeNHA’s directive targets the traders on both sides of the highway at Roysambu and the Nairobi-bound side of Githurai.

"This is to pave the way for the construction of designated bus bays, aimed at ensuring safe and orderly passenger pick-up and drop-off," the authority stated. The logic is sound: by creating formal stops, the authority hopes to remove the matatus from the main carriageway, restoring the "Super" to the Superhighway.

• The Deadline: Traders have until next Monday to vacate. Failure to comply will likely result in the arrival of bulldozers, a scene all too familiar in Nairobi’s urban development saga.
• The Impact: While commuters cheer the prospect of less traffic, hundreds of small-scale traders face the loss of their livelihoods. The "road reserve economy" supports thousands of families who rely on the high foot traffic of these stages.
• Safety First: The project is part of a broader KeNHA initiative to reduce accidents. The removal of obstructions is seen as critical to preventing the pedestrian knock-downs that plague these busy intersections.

A City in Transformation

This eviction is the latest in a series of moves to sanitize Nairobi’s major corridors. It reflects a growing intolerance for the chaotic encroachment that defines the city’s periphery. However, without alternative markets, the traders are likely to play a game of cat and mouse with the authorities, returning as soon as the enforcement trucks leave.

For now, the seven-day countdown has begun. Roysambu and Githurai are bracing for change, and for the traders, the sound of progress is the rumble of an approaching bulldozer.