Informal traders also known as hawkers have been swarming around Nairobi's Central Business District year in and year out.
They have been blocking roads and pavements, crowding out pedestrians, contributing to garbage menace and blocking business entrances, thus denying business to legitimate traders.
Some are stealing, picking pockets and committing other crimes. The CBD is their workstation.
Still, a lot of people buy from them — fruits, vegetables, second-hand clothes, shoes, handbags and cutlery. They perform a service, of sorts.
Over the years, these 'CBD owners' have proved they cannot be evicted or persuaded to move, despite vigorous attempts by successive county governments. Heavy-handed roundups don't work. They just surge back.
However, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja plans to make the impossible, possible by relocating the hawkers from uptown.
This will not only reduce congestion from the pavements and streets but also give them a specific place to operate from.
In his Sh42.3 billion budget which was passed by Nairobi MCAs last week, Sh100 million was allocated for the relocation of informal traders (hawkers) from the main streets.
In his manifesto, Sakaja said his administration would not chase hawkers from their bases of operations but instead allocate them places to operate from.
Sakaja already constituted a multi-sectoral team working to find alternative areas for hawkers so that the CBD decongestion plans do not unnecessarily disrupt their businesses.
The team has already inspected various lanes in the lower CBD and has started demarcation works, as well as clearing dirt in the areas to make them habitable for trade.
Various lanes, including Turkana, have already been painted, ready for hawkers to be allocated spaces.
“We did public participation with the hawkers and the leadership in CBD, we have marked 29 streets and back lanes that we are already preparing, Dubois road is the first one which will be the model street,” he said.
Other areas earmarked for paint works include Sotik, Turkana, Posta and Kirinyaga.
At least 6,000 hawkers have registered with the county.
There have been mixed reactions from the hawkers concerning Sakaja's plan.
Some are in support as the lanes will finally bring an end to the cat-and-mouse run between them and the inspectorate officers.
"Mimi nimefurahi na huu mpangilion kwa sababu kanjo watawacha kutukimbisha kila wakati," said Mama Njambi, fruit vendor.
"Gavana akona mpangilio sawa na tunashukuru kuwa ametukumbuka ," Said Justin Okech, show seller.
"Huu mpango sijui kama utawezekana kwa sababu wateja wetu wako pahalia Gavana anataka kututoa. Tukienda huko chini sasa tutauzia nani?' posed Kennedy Mutua, stationary hawker.
"Tutafurika sana na wengine wetu najua watatkosa nafasi. Huu mpangilio, sioni ukiwezekana," Nafula Wekesa said.
In Governor Sakaja's plan, hawkers will be allowed to operate for five hours only in the CDB in the city centre.
City Hall will allow the hawkers to operate from 5pm to 10pm.
“Under my leadership, one thing I will allow is hawkers operating in the CBD area and they will be allowed from exactly 5pm to 10pm,” he said earlier .
Sakaja said he had his reservations about the rough way the county had dealt with hawkers.
“The way we deal with hawkers is not by engaging in running battles every other day. Hawkers are part of the private business community and contribute to the economy,” he said.
In the past, as early as 11am, hawkers camp brazenly along Kenyatta Avenue.
Along Latema and River roads, the hawkers are stationed from mid-morning to evening, always alert to impending sweeps by enforcement officers.
It is a cat-and-mouse game along Ronald Ngala and Mfangano streets between the hawkers and enforcement officers.
The hawkers stuff their wares in a sack and run whenever they see enforcement officers, some in navy blue uniforms with a yellow NMS logo, others in plain clothes.
Failed attempts
First Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero blamed what he called cartels at City Hall for the hawker troubles.
He accused former councillors and MPs of pushing for their return to the CBD every time the county government pushed them off the streets.
His successor Mike Sonko promised to organise hawkers within the first 100 days of his administration.
The plan was to register all the hawkers, small-scale business owners and traders with a view to recognise, protect and enable them to operate in the city.
The strategy backfired and hawkers have ever since remained troublesome and a permanent fixture on Nairobi streets.
The defunct NMS also attempted to try 'control' the hawkers.
Then NMS director general had said his team is readying a building near Utalii College, along Thika Road as hawkers' permanent working station.
The building will also host mechanics in separate areas.
“We want them out of the CBD and we have located a site near Utalii College where NMS will set up a building to house mechanics and hawkers,” Badi said.
However, this plan never saw the light of the day.
The ball is now in Sakaja's court, will he outshine his predecessors and finally tame the hawkers, or will he join the list of Nairobi bosses with mission impossible plans.
