Selling on backstreet lanes impossible, defiant hawkers tell Sakaja

Governor Sakaja inspects CBD Walkways after banning hawkers from selling on the main streets on Jan 10, 2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Days after Nairobi County issued a directive banning hawkers in some areas, the traders now say the areas that they were directed to operate from are pathetic.

The directive according to Governor Johnson Sakaja was aimed at restoring order in the city centre following an unending outcry by Nairobians that the capital city was losing its glory.

A section of shop owners had also piled pressure on City Hall to eject the hawkers claiming that they are blocking customers from accessing their shops.

“All walkways within the central business district are strictly for pedestrians and not trading,” the county directed.

Some of the restricted areas include Moi Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenneth Matiba Road, Latema Road, Ronald Ngala Street, Mfangano Street, Hakati Road, and River Road.

But in a move likely to spark conflict between them and the county enforcement officers, the hawkers on Thursday said the designated areas are not ideal for their businesses citing congested and filthy lanes.

READ: Hawkers protest City Hall's move to ban selling on main streets

They argued that some backstreet lanes are homes of street families while others are used by matatu saccos as their dropping and picking points.

To them, such backstreets are neither suitable nor sufficient for the hawkers to conduct their businesses effectively.

“The backstreets are dirty, congested, and too small for all of us. This forces us into constant fights for space, which sometimes results in injuries. Before implementing these directives, the county government should have addressed these challenges,” John Mawaya, the chairman of Nairobi hawkers said.

Mr Mawaya expressed concerns of tension between hawkers and matatu operators, who use the same backstreets as parking lots.

A hawker seats on the windscreen of the Nairobi City County (Kanjo) in protest after her merchandise were allegedly taken by the County askaris along Kenyatta avenue, Nairobi on Jan 31, 2024. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

“The vehicles occupy the spaces we are told to relocate to, creating unnecessary conflict which can easily turn to something else,” he said.

Shop owners, too, are against hawkers setting up outside their establishments, whether in the main streets or backstreets.

They argue that hawkers block entrances, deter customers, and unfairly compete by selling cheaper goods since they do not pay rent, licenses, or taxes.

“When hawkers trade on the pavements, they block the way for the customers. Also, they sell goods at lower prices because they don’t incur the overhead costs we do, like rent and taxes. This makes it hard for us to attract customers,” said Peter Njoroge.

Njoroge urged the county government to take decisive action to prevent further conflict.

ALSO READ: Sakaja: No more street hawking within Nairobi CBD

“The county government needs to clean up the backstreets, resolve the issue of matatu parking, and provide clear instructions to all stakeholders. Failure to do so will escalate tensions and chaos,” he said.

Adding to the complexity is the role of matatu operators, who claim ownership of the contested spaces. According to them, the county government designated the backstreets as their parking zones, for which they pay fees.

“We were allocated this space by the county government, and we pay for it. It is unfair to ask us to vacate so that hawkers can use it,” said a matatu operator in the CBD.

The standoff has left hawkers feeling neglected and unsupported, with many arguing that the city hall attempts to organise the CBD have overlooked their needs as informal traders who depend on the streets for their livelihoods.

The county government maintains that the restrictions are necessary to bring order to the CBD, where hawking has been blamed for congestion and littering.

However, the hawkers see the rules as punitive and insensitive to their plight.

“If the government wants us to relocate, they should ensure the spaces are clean, safe, and accessible,” said Susan Wanjiru, a hawker in the CBD.