Stop treating small traders as criminals

The Kisumu economy just like those of other major towns is going through a crisis. It appears more money was in the hands of small businesses destroyed under the guise of beautifying the city.

Unfortunately, the political class is in a slumber, yet business activity is on the decline.

Early this month, there was massive destruction of businesses owned by small traders by the county government of Kisumu to clean up the city.

The use of bulldozers brought the business in the Central Business District of the lakeside town to a standstill. Suddenly, there is nowhere for the downtrodden to eat.

While some people are celebrating, those whose businesses were destroyed are unable to service loans. They may not be able to send their children to school. Assets that have been earning revenues are now idle or destroyed. Those who live in Kisumu know that jobs are hard to come by, and this is why people have resorted to small businesses.  The leadership has now destroyed small businesses.

We have many young graduates unable to get jobs and are willing to take any opportunity.

Some of us without asking for a political office or help set up businesses to benefit our people. Until the county government came in, the business people were left alone to work and put food on the table.

Documented globally

 Then came the destruction at Kondele Market, the main bus park and “Lwangni”, an eatery known regionally. The destruction shattered lives.

Then they moved to Kibuye and forced traders to squalors with no toiletS. They returned them after they were not able to build the market.

It is documented globally that small businesses play a key role in the economic growth of any country. It is the small businesses that dominate trade; about 95 per cent of enterprises globally are small enterprises.

Thus, the issue should be how to help these businesses grow instead of bringing them down. The bulldozers were ruthless when destroying structures belonging to small trades.

Then the Kisumu port and the railway land came in. No public participation, no Baraza, but massive tractors! I wish they could use tractors to plough idle land in Kisumu.

 There were those staying in railway’s houses paying rent to Kenya Railway Corporation (KRC) who were ordered to vacate within a few days, creating internally displaced persons.

Most of those houses are now vacant. What a waste! The county administrators have destroyed lives and dreams.

Unfortunately, the county does not bother to follow up on what happens to those whose businesses were destroyed.

This issue of notice to those on railway property was selective! The other lie was that people were occupying KRC property illegally. KRC had leased out most of its property in Kisumu and they were collecting rent from the tenants running into millions.

Specific contracts

Then there was no notice. We all know how a legal notice looks like. They only threw papers all over the estate, warning of the impending evictions. The businessmen and women had specific contracts with KRC and there is evidence of contracts and regular payments to the corporation.

I know this because our business had a contract but we were not given any notice.

The only thing I know is that on August 14, 2019, tractors came and destroyed our investments. We had employed over 40 people, who are now jobless.

The same county that destroyed businesses had just collected the licence fee.

The county needs to interrogate its understanding of economic development, benefits, and costs. The pedestrian argument that some people must suffer or even die for development is shameful.  There is no economic model built around the suffering of citizens.

Structures housing small businesses should not be destroyed unless an alternative is available. Forced eviction without proper notice is inhuman. Again, the labour in Kisumu is abundant, but it’s difficult providing gainful employment without adequate factories. I wonder if the county has data on unemployment because if they had any, they would not have done what they did. The county needs to know that you cannot destroy small and medium businesses and argue that you are concerned about the welfare of owners.

The political class has failed to protect small traders. The airports and ports will be there, but the people whose livelihoods are destroyed won’t be there. Why are traders and staff who were hit hard so insensitive? Stop treating small traders like criminals.

 

-The writer teaches at the University of Nairobi