Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru has raised a question that could shape the 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial race, arguing that voters’ decisions may depend on which candidate can protect their livelihoods and which one threatens them with demolitions.
Njiru said in a statement shared on x account on thursday, November 5, 2026 the contest would ultimately come down to a concern familiar to thousands of Nairobi traders operating small kiosks and informal businesses: whether their sources of income would be protected or destroyed.
“The Nairobi gubernatorial election will be decided by one simple question: Who will protect my kiosk and who will demolish it?” Njiru said.
His remarks come amid growing political competition for Nairobi’s top county seat, with leaders positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election following Governor Johnson Sakaja’s move to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Njiru’s remarks highlight the tension between urban redevelopment and the livelihoods of residents who depend on informal businesses to survive.
A September 2026 survey by Haki Data Lab, the Legal Empowerment Hub and Mathare Social Justice Centre documented the economic impact of demolitions on 123 households in Mathare 3A.
The assessment found that 78.9 per cent of respondents experienced livelihood disruptions following demolitions along the Mathare River corridor.
The destruction of workplaces was the most frequently reported impact, while other residents lost customers, business equipment and income-generating opportunities.
The proportion of surveyed households earning less than Ksh5,000 monthly rose from 33.3 per cent before the demolitions to 54.5 per cent afterwards.
The findings underscore the challenges facing informal traders who rely on kiosks and roadside businesses to support their families.
The survey also found that 5.7 per cent of households reported having no income after the demolitions, compared with 0.8 per cent before the exercise.
Researchers warned that repeated displacement could make it harder for affected families to rebuild their livelihoods and recover financially.
For many traders, the threat of losing business premises goes beyond property destruction, potentially cutting off the daily income they depend on for food, rent and school fees.
Njiru’s remarks introduce a livelihood-focused question into the emerging gubernatorial contest, where candidates are expected to address housing, urban planning, infrastructure and the management of informal settlements.
The debate also comes as Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has hinted at a possible Nairobi gubernatorial bid following Sakaja’s move to ODM and other Nairobi Governorship hopefuls.
As political alignments take shape ahead of the 2027 polls, the protection of traders’ livelihoods could become a significant issue for candidates seeking support from Nairobi’s informal economy.
The Mathare survey cautioned that its findings were specific to the households studied and should not automatically be generalised to all demolition exercises across the city.
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