Controversy ridded China Square on Thika Road roared back to life today after a week-long closure with thousands of shoppers thronging the mall heavily opposed by Nyamakima and Kamukunji traders.
As late as 8:00Pm in the night, the retail centre located at Unicity Mall owned by Kenyatta University was a bee-hive of activities as shoppers continued to flock in to buy items of their choice.
The car pack areas were full of vehicle with tens of other motorists forced to park outside the premises and next to the Thika Superhighway.
After the centre was closed under a cloud of controversy that saw goods worth Sh 50 million seized by Anti-Counterfeit Authority and later returned, China issued a stern warning to Kenya against discrimination of Chinses nationals doing legitimate business in Kenya.
The re-opening of the China Square is being interpreted as a big body blow to the Nyamakima, Kamukunji and Gikomba traders who last week held street protests to oppose the centre saying it was kicking them out of business.
Representatives of the traders met the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who was accompanied by senior government officials and pleaded with them to retreat and give the government three weeks to come up with a solution.
The re-opening is also seen as loss by Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria who while siding with Nyamakima traders, had said he planned to give Kenyatta University a counteroffer to buy off the China Square and hand it over to local traders.
Going by the huge number of shoppers who flocked the Square today, the controversy appears to have created free but huge advertisement and awareness.
