A curio market in Westlands, Nairobi, was demolished on Thursday, May 10, to make way for road expansion. The informal market housed curio shops, eateries and clothes shops in buildings made from iron sheets.

In 2016, Kenya Urban Roads Authority had issued notice for the demolition to allow for the redesign of two roads in an attempt to ease traffic congestion in the city.

Stall owners were given conflicting reports on their future. At the time of the notice, the then Nairobi County Executive in charge of Trade, Anna Othoro, said stall owners would be moved to the City Park Market and Westlands Main Market. However, according to the Daily Nation,  Evans Kamana, who ran a restaurant at the market, said the traders had been given two months’ notice but had asked for an extension after being told a new market was being built. A number of businesses had not removed their products and equipment from their stalls as they were waiting for a venue to relocate to.

The market had served as a one-stop shop for tourists to Nairobi, providing access to a large range of handmade goods, from tribal carvings to batik wall hangings, beaded sandals, and soapstone carvings.