Matatu operators block Tom Mboya Street in Nairobi’s CBD to protest the occupation of their parking space by hawkers on January 30 /ENOS TECHEWhen city askaris chase hawkers from the streets, they don't bother with the buyers. But this is about to change.
Both the buyer and the seller will now face the wrath of the ruthless 'Kanjos'.
City Hall has announced that not only hawkers operating in unauthorised areas but also their customers will now be arrested and prosecuted. This move, authorities say, is part of a broader plan to impose order, cleanliness, and safety in the capital city.
Geoffrey Mosiria, the chief officer for environment, emphasised the county’s new zero-tolerance approach.
“While hawkers have been allocated designated back lanes to operate from, many continue to block pedestrian walkways, inconveniencing city residents and compromising public safety,” he said. “We are stepping up enforcement efforts to ensure compliance.”
While City Hall acknowledges the economic struggles that push many into street vending, public spaces must not become casualties of urban survival.
“Operating in undesignated areas is a violation of county bylaws,” Mosiria said. “And knowingly purchasing goods from illegal vendors will now be treated as an offence.”
That means a customer buying socks, fruits, or accessories from a vendor stationed on Moi Avenue or Ronald Ngala street would be bundled into a county van alongside the hawker—both seen as contributors to public disorder.
The decision has sparked a wave of concern among Nairobians, especially those who rely on the informal market for its affordability and convenience
“Sometimes, I don’t even plan to buy anything, but I see something on the street that I like and I buy it,” said Grace Ngala, a university student who frequently shops from street vendors. “How is that a crime?”
But city authorities argue that emotional appeals, while understandable, cannot override the law.
Mosiria pointed out that some hawkers deliberately cause confrontations to draw public sympathy and go viral online, but warned that such tactics would no longer be tolerated.
This new crackdown builds on an earlier directive issued in January 2025 by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
The order confined hawking to specific backstreets between Tom Mboya Street and Kirinyaga Road and limited trading hours to between 4pm and 10pm Monday to Saturday.
Major roads such as Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenneth Matiba Road and Mfangano Street were explicitly marked as no-hawking zones.
“Our city must reflect order and dignity,” Governor Sakaja said. “There will be no hawking on roads, and that is not negotiable.”
Despite previous efforts, including a high-profile crackdown in late 2023, enforcing these rules has remained a challenge.
Many hawkers returned to prohibited zones within days, emboldened by weak enforcement and public support.
What makes this new push different, officials argue, is the inclusion of buyers in the enforcement net.
The hope is that if customers avoid illegal vendors, demand will drop and hawkers will be forced to move to designated areas.
But critics warn that this approach may disproportionately affect the working poor—both sellers and buyers—who depend on informal trade for survival.
“It’s not enough to criminalise poverty,” said an urban planning researcher James Otieno. “The city needs to offer real alternatives and follow through with consistent, humane enforcement.”
As Nairobi once again tries to bring order to its crowded streets, one thing is clear: the city is drawing a harder line, and this time, no one in the street economy is off-limits.
Instant Analysis
City Hall’s decision to target both hawkers and their customers marks a dramatic shift in street trade enforcement, signaling the city’s deepening struggle between economic informality and urban order.
