Moses Kuria Slams Nairobi County Over Naivas, Carrefour Closure: “You Don’t Attract Investors by Being Whimsical”
Nairobi, Kenya – President William Ruto’s Senior Economic Adviser, Moses Kuria, has fiercely criticized Nairobi County’s decision to close Naivas and Carrefour supermarkets, warning of grave economic consequences.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, May 14, Kuria did not mince his words.
“We will not create jobs when county governments wake up and close Naivas and Carrefour arbitrarily,” he declared.
“You don’t attract investors by acting whimsical,” he added.
Closure Sparks Uproar Across Kenya
The order to shut down Naivas Moi Avenue branch—issued by the Nairobi Health Committee—has triggered public outrage and a nationwide debate. Kenyans fear the move may send a chilling message to current and future investors.
Naivas, one of Kenya’s biggest supermarket chains, operates over 30 outlets in Nairobi alone.
Kuria warned that such decisions would destabilize employment and discourage both foreign and local investments.
“This will deny many Kenyans jobs,” he warned. “You can’t build an economy by shutting down retail giants.”
Why Did the County Act?
The Nairobi Health Committee, led by MCA Maurice Ochieng, defended the closure.
“We are here at Naivas Moi Avenue,” Ochieng said.
“We have realised that there are expired products on the shelf, putting Nairobians at risk.”
He claimed the team discovered expired yoghurt and products without expiry dates. He also pointed out that some workers were not medically certified.
Naivas Responds: “No Expired Products Found”
Naivas Supermarket quickly dismissed the allegations. In a bold statement, the retail giant rejected the closure order and stood by its operations.
“We would like to reassure our customers, partners, and the general public that no expired products have been found on our shelves,” the statement read.
They labelled the claims as:
“False, misleading, and potentially harmful.”
Naivas maintained that all branches remain open, denying any reports of shutdowns in Nairobi.
What’s Next?
As tension builds between Nairobi County and national economic voices, Kenyans wait anxiously.
Will more supermarkets face closure? Could this trigger a retail crisis?
For now, Kuria remains firm:
“Stop destroying livelihoods with knee-jerk actions. We must protect our economy.”
ALSO READ:Health Scare in Nairobi: County Orders Immediate Closure of All Naivas Supermarkets
Moses Kuria Slams Nairobi County Over Naivas, Carrefour Closure: “You Don’t Attract Investors by Being Whimsical”
