KeNHA Gives Roadside Traders 30 Days to Vacate Reserves on Four Major Roads
The Kenya National Highways Authority has given traders and other unauthorised occupants along four major road corridors 30 days to remove structures and vacate road reserves.
The notice gives affected occupants until October 29, 2026 to move goods, stalls and other structures located within the designated road reserve.
Roads Covered by the Notice
The directive covers sections of the following routes:
- Likoni–Ukunda–Lunga Lunga (A7)
- Kilifi–Malindi–Garsen–Witu (A7)
- Maili Tisa–Kitale (B14)
- Eldoret–Nyaru (B124)
These corridors pass through busy trading centres and settlements where roadside businesses, temporary structures and informal parking areas can gradually extend into land reserved for highway infrastructure.
What KeNHA Is Asking Occupants to Do
Affected traders and property occupiers are expected to remove their structures voluntarily within the notice period. Those who fail to comply risk having the structures removed, with possible costs associated with enforcement falling on the occupants.
Road reserves are intended to protect space required for the safe operation, maintenance and future expansion of highways. Encroachment can interfere with drainage, visibility, pedestrian movement, road works and emergency access.
Why the Four Corridors Matter
The affected roads serve different parts of the country and carry both local and long-distance traffic.
The A7 corridor is particularly important along the Coast, linking major towns and settlements from the Mombasa area toward Kwale, Kilifi, Malindi and the northern coastal region. The B14 route connects the Eldoret area with Kitale, while the B124 corridor serves communities between Eldoret and Nyaru and forms part of the wider North Rift road network.
What Traders Should Verify
Anyone operating close to the affected highways should confirm whether their stall, shop extension, signboard, storage area or other structure lies inside the official road reserve.
Where there is uncertainty, occupants should seek clarification from KeNHA or the relevant local administration before carrying out major construction or paying for roadside space claimed by third parties.
Road Reserve Enforcement Is Not the Same as Private Land Acquisition
The notice concerns alleged encroachment on existing road reserves. It should not be confused with compulsory acquisition of privately owned land for a new road project, which follows a separate legal process involving identification of affected land and compensation procedures where applicable.
People who believe they hold lawful rights over affected property should preserve their ownership or occupation documents and seek formal clarification rather than relying on verbal assurances.
Deadline
Based on the notice reported on September 29, the 30-day compliance period runs to Thursday, October 29, 2026.
Sources and Further Reading
Daily Report KE reviewed reporting on the KeNHA notice and cross-checked the named routes against Kenya National Highways Authority road documentation. See the published report on the 30-day notice and the KeNHA official website for authority information and notices.
