Nairobi CBD Traders Count Losses as City Regeneration Works Disrupt Businesses

Construction activity in Nairobi’s Central Business District has become a daily headache for many workers and small businesses. Upgrading of pedestrian walkways, public spaces, and roads under the city regeneration programme has brought dust, noise, congestion, and restricted movement. While the long-term vision of a more attractive and functional CBD wins support, the immediate costs are being felt on the ground.

Boda boda operator Solomon Kimeu described how riders have been displaced from traditional stages. Construction materials now cover markings that once designated parking areas. Customers must board near moving traffic, raising safety concerns. Kimeu and colleagues support the need for repairs but argue that simultaneous works on multiple streets have created unnecessary chaos. Phased implementation, they suggest, would have minimised disruption.

Delivery operators face similar difficulties. Anthony Maina, who runs an online business, said navigating the CBD has grown harder. Pedestrians forced onto roads because of blocked pavements create confusion. He has witnessed near-misses and accidents linked to narrowed pathways and debris. Although some work occurs at night, activity often spills into peak morning hours when commuters flood the area.

Traders report direct impacts on sales. Tiffany Cate Wangari operates a business at Imenti House. Dust from construction settles on products constantly. Staff clean repeatedly throughout the day, yet customers sometimes avoid entering shops because of the mess at entrances. Reduced foot traffic has hurt revenue for businesses located near active sites.

Hawker Bonface Mwangi at Kencom Bus Station has seen customer numbers drop after bus stages were relocated. His sales depend on people waiting for transport. When stages move, so do the buyers. The pattern repeats across other informal trading spots affected by the works.

Interior designer Felista Wanjiru Chege, whose office is along Moi Avenue, highlighted health and productivity concerns. Constant dust requires frequent cleaning and has forced some workers to wear masks. The crowded, narrowed pathways also create opportunities for petty theft as people are squeezed together.

The Nairobi city centre regeneration programme aims to improve non-motorised transport, lighting, crossings, and overall aesthetics. Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration has pushed the facelift as a key deliverable. Once complete, wider pavements, better drainage, and organised public spaces should ease movement and enhance the business environment.

Yet the transition phase exposes tensions inherent in urban upgrading. Large-scale public works inevitably disrupt existing patterns. The challenge lies in balancing long-term gains against short-term pain for residents and enterprises that keep the CBD functioning.

Construction firms involved must manage dust suppression, safety barriers, and clear signage more effectively. The county government could improve communication about timelines and alternative routes. Business owners, for their part, have called for compensation mechanisms or targeted support during peak disruption periods.

Nairobi’s CBD remains the country’s commercial heart. Thousands rely on its vibrancy for livelihoods. Successful completion of the regeneration works could strengthen that role. In the meantime, affected workers and traders continue adapting to the realities of a city under construction.