Nairobi traders on Tuesday took to the streets demanding to be addressed by Trade CS Moses Kuria.
The traders from Nyamakima and Dubois are also protesting the presence of China Square market which is located at the Uni City Mall.
Traders from Kamukunji joined them in requesting protection for their companies from what they referred to as a “China invasion.”
The demonstrations come a day before the group is supposed to meet with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to talk about the “takeover” of local markets by foreigners.
Small scale traders protest against China Square in Nairobi CBD pic.twitter.com/WeC0zrtRjy
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 28, 2023
Local traders contend that they should be allowed to manage the wholesale and retail ends of the value chain.
Lei Cheng, the owner of the now-contentious China Square, argues that his enterprise is legitimate and focused on healthy competition.
“We have cooperated with all government directives for opening a business in Kenya and we are here to break the monopoly. The people who are fighting us feel threatened because Kenyans now know we exist and we are not exploiting them in pricing,” Mr Cheng told the Nation.
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