Hawkers have flooded back into the
CBD barely two months after police
launched a much-publicised crackdown
on vendors.
The situation is
back to normal: chaos.
The city centre is also jammed
with noisy matatus driving every
which way, boda bodas, street families
and beggars. Garbage is dumped
illegally.
The hawkers have occupied their
usual streets Tom Mboya, Moi
Avenue, River Road, Lithuli Avenue
and Lagos Road.
They have spread their wares everywhere,
including back streets,
pavements and right in front of licensed
shops.
They sell second-hand
clothes, CDs, toys, fruits, vegetables
and many other items. Store owners
and residents complain.
Reacting to rising crime, new
county commissioner Kang’ethe
Thuku in February ordered police to
crack down on vendors, boda bodas
and street families.
Armed police were deployed strategically
in the CBD while others patrolled
in lorries and other vehicles.
Hawkers, street children and youths
were arrested and charged with loitering,
obstructing pathways, causing
a nuisance and petty crimes.
But a spot check by the Star in
the past week shows the vendors
are back in force. Police are still
patrolling but there’s little sign of a
clean-up.
“It was obvious the crackdown
could not continue long because we
were not involved and we were not
given alternative places to work,”
Hawkers Association chairman
Kimani Waweru told the Star.
City Hall sources said the county
was to provide Sh6.2 million for
police vehicles’ fuel and officers’
meals and allowances, however,
it withdrew such regular support.
That meant the crackdown was unsustainable.
“The crackdown started on a
wrong footing because the county
was only involved when the money
was needed. So it was doomed to
fail,” the source said.
Waweru from the hawkers’ association
said the officers had turned
the operation an extortion racket.
“They started stealing from us.
Instead
of arresting those found operating
there, they started carrying
away our merchandise and that was
illegal,” he said.
When asked for comment yesterday,
commissioner Thuku promised
to call back, saying he was in a
meeting. By press time, he had not
returned several more calls.
There was no response to messages
and several phone calls to Trade
executive Alan Igambi and county
Enforcement director Peter Mbaya.
The county is building at least
15 modern markets funded by the
World Bank billion under the Nai- robi Metropolitan Services Improvement
Project.
The markets will
accommodate more than 100,000
hawkers operating downtown.
They include Karindini Market in
Dagoretti, Mwario Market, Muthurwa,
Uhuru Market along Jogoo
Road, Wakulima Market and a retail
market in Kangundo Road.