Kitui Municipal Council is headed for a clash with artisans and hawkers following a stalemate over plans to move them to a centralised site.
The artisans who are not amused yesterday staged a protest on the streets of the town and later handed a copy of their grievances to the council authorities.
During the peaceful demonstration, the artisans who included welders, operators of car wash stations, mechanics and electricians as well as hawkers vowed not to obey the council's ultimatum to move them from their current sites.
Their spokesman Duncan Chiluba said the affected Jua Kali operators have vowed not to move to the Kenya Industrial Estate site, as it is not ideal for their businesses. He said the new site was not secure for the Jua Kali artisans.
Chiluba said the artisans were also unhappy with the Sh5000 yearly levy that the council intents to impose once they are relocated.
He said the council has yet to put up sheds, stores and security lights at the KIE site. "If they install these things, we might consider moving there," said Chiluba.
But Kitui mayor Alex Munyoki said the artisans have only a week to move out of the streets and road reserves, or they will be forcefully evicted. Munyoki accused the Kitui town civic leader Patrick Makasi of inciting the artisans to defy the council.
“We held
several meetings with the artisans' leaders and we agreed they will move to the new KIE site," said the mayor.
"They now have been incited to oppose the council's plans but we are going to enforce the law come next week."
