• Thika traders petition Waititu for better roads, services and honest askaris.
• This follows another protest by Thika residents on Saturday over the county's bizarre expenditure revealed by the Senate.
Image: FILE
Thika traders on Monday threatened to stop paying fees because of high fees, bad services and an influx of hawkers.
They protested against hefty levies, high rates and 'exorbitant' licence fees, plus uncollected garbage and bad roads. THE
They closed their shops for more than four hours for peaceful protests led by Thika District Business Association chairman Alfred Wanyoike. They presented a petition at the Thika subcounty offices.
Thika subcounty administrator Christopher Wanjau received the petition on behalf of Governor Ferdinande Waititu promised to act on their problems.
This follows another protest by Thika residents on Saturday over the county's bizarre expenditures revealed by the Senate.
Waititu is under fire for reported expenditures for State House, South Sudan peace initiatives among other national functions.
On Monday traders said Thika contributes 60 per cent of the county’s revenue but they have been given a raw deal. They said their persistent calls for better services have fallen on deaf ears. They pledged to stop paying rates.
They cited deplorable roads full of potholes, poor drainage and open manholes. Traders said they are at risk especially during rains. Traders said their businesses are suffering because their customers are affected too.
“Heaps of garbage in Thika remain uncollected for days. When we ask why garbage is not collected, we are told trucks have no fuel. We pay rates to the county government and we deserve a better working environment,” Wanyoike said.
He said the governor has failed to solve the problem of outside hawkers who have flooded the town. Wanyoike said the more outside hawkers increase, the more they suffer from lost sales because outsiders sell at lower prices.
He said the hawkers come from as far as Kayole, Roysambu, Githurai and parts of Murang’a county. Wanyoike said the hawkers sell their wares cheaply.
“Hawkers have taken our customers. The governor allowed them to operate in Thika town yet we are paying rent. Our income is dwindling. Thismust be addressed," Wanyoike said.
The traders petitioned the county to reduce parking fees that were increased from Sh60 toSh100.
“We agreed during the Finance Bill public participation forum that parking fees should not exceed Sh60. We want parking fees reduced and parking slots increased," the traders' secretary general Kirangi Waweru said.
The traders also accused some county enforcement officers of harassment, illegal arrests and demanding bribes.
"We are tired of rogue county askaris who move around town extorting money from traders. We will no longer take this. We will whip them should they continue,” trader John Muguimi said.
They petitioned Waititu to Waititu to allocate more funds for development and public service. They also want the loopholes for theft of public funds sealed and the wage bill reduced.
"Adopt public participation as a priority in undertaking projects," the petition reads.
(Edited by Pamela Wanambisi)