Stand-off at Masinde Muliro Market as Police Block Traders in Kitale

KITALE, Kenya — Heavy security deployment created intense tension at the Masinde Muliro Modern Market on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, after police officers blocked hundreds of local traders from occupying stalls in the newly launched facility.

The standoff stems from an escalating power struggle between Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and the national government over the management and stall allocation of the multi-million-shilling complex.

Tensions boiled over following a directive issued on Monday by Governor Natembeya, ordering verified, displaced traders holding official county allotment letters to move in and resume operations on Tuesday.

However, heavily deployed police units—including General Service Unit (GSU) officers—sealed off the premises, frustrating county government officials and barring dozens of legitimate stall holders from entering.

“The governor fulfilled his duty by allocating market spaces to traders displaced by construction,” stated Trade Executive Member Janerose Mutama. She accused security agencies of selectively permitting only a small fraction of traders inside while locking out majority permit holders despite a court order restraining national agencies from interfering in the market’s administration.

At the core of the political rift are conflicting allocation directives. While Governor Natembeya maintains that stall distribution is an exclusive constitutional mandate of the county government, President William Ruto directed County Commissioner Hussein Allaso to oversee the process following his official commissioning of the 2,980-capacity facility on October 16.

Business leaders have expressed deep concern over the stalemate. Titus Kilongi, chairman of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Trans Nzoia branch, warned that two arms of government pulling in opposite directions threatens local livelihoods.

As security officers remain stationed at the complex, displaced vendors who operated along the roadside for over a decade remain stranded outside, caught in the middle of a high-stakes jurisdictional war.

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