Nairobi puts hawkers on notice over lawlessness

County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria in Eastleigh on September 20, 2025. [Courtesy]

Nairobi County authorities have issued a stern warning to hawkers in Eastleigh accused of blocking roads, dumping waste, and turning the busy commercial hub into an open-air market.

County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Trade and Markets, Geoffrey Mosiria, said the hawkers had crossed the line by disregarding the law and creating chaos in one of the city’s busiest business districts.

“It is deeply alarming that hawkers in Eastleigh have chosen to operate with total disregard for the law blocking roads, dumping waste carelessly, and shamelessly turning the streets into open-air markets. This reckless impunity will not be tolerated,” Mosiria said.

The warning comes as the county steps up efforts to decongest the Central Business District (CBD) and surrounding neighborhoods, part of a broader plan to improve urban planning, security, and service delivery in the capital.

According to the county, the situation has paralyzed transport, inconvenienced residents, and posed public health risks. Drainage systems have reportedly been blocked with garbage, leading to fears of flooding and disease outbreaks.

“No one has the right to paralyze transport, deny residents essential services, and endanger lives under the excuse of earning a living. Nairobi will not be reduced into an ungovernable street market,” Mosiria warned.

He stressed that the county supports small-scale traders but insisted that support does not equate to condoning lawlessness.

“We support small-scale traders, but support does not mean lawlessness. Earning a living must be done within the law, not by breaking it,” he said.

Eastleigh, often described as Nairobi’s “little Mogadishu,” is one of the city’s most vibrant commercial hubs, with hundreds of traders dealing in textiles, electronics, and imported goods.

However, residents and business owners have long raised concerns about congestion, poor waste management, and insecurity attributed to unregulated street trading.

“Even worse, these hawkers have blocked drainage systems with garbage and littered the entire area, creating a public health hazard. Such behavior is irresponsible, dangerous, and criminal,” Mosiria added.

The county has now put hawkers on notice, warning that enforcement operations will be intensified to restore order in the area.

“We are putting hawkers on notice: the law will take its course, and order will be restored in Eastleigh at all costs. Those who persist in this illegality should be ready to face firm enforcement measures. Nairobi is a city of order and progress not chaos and impunity,” Mosiria declared.