•Traders to renew licenses after 12 months, can pay quarterly or every six months.
•Hawkers will also have licenses provided by City Hall.
Image: FILE
Nairobi county seeks to relieve traders of the burden of renewing operating licenses every December as a new bill proposes a shelf life of one year.
The Nairobi City County Trade Licensing Bill 2018, which was unanimously passed last week by the assembly, will end the last-minute rush to renew licenses before the end of every year.
A clause in the bill gives traders the freedom of paying for their licences at any time of the year but strictly requires renewal after 12 months.
The bill by Finance and Budget Committee chairman Robert Mbatia also seeks to curb corruption in the licensing department and enforce order in street vending and hawking.
Mbatia, who is also Kariobangi South representative, said the bill will enable the county to collect more revenue by encouraging more compliance.
"Traders can pay quarterly, half year or full year fees and this gives them time to plan and comply because they do not have to make the whole payment at once," he said.
Mbatia observed that traders have been subjected to harassment by county officials on trade licensing, with some being forced to part with bribery fees to secure trade licenses.
However, this will be determined if Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko signs the bill.
Fines for hawkers
Hawkers must now have a hawker or street vendor's license which will be issued by the Directorate of Trade.
The hawkers in the Central Business District will have to pay a monthly fee for Sh500 while those outside the will part with a daily Sh30 after paying for their licences.
To regulate the sector, the office of the Director of Trade Licensing and a Trade Licensing Appeals Committee will be set up.
Any person operating without a license will be slapped with a Sh100,000 fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.
The new trade license for hawkers will have designated areas for hawking and hours of operation.
The county government has tried many unsuccessful measures to regulate hawking in the city.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)