Kisumu acting city manager Abala Wanga has ordered hawkers operating within the Central Business District to keep off walkways to ease people’s movement.
Wanga directed county askaris and police to ensure they do not operate along the busy pathways.
He said they were beautifying the city ahead of the Afrocities conference to be held next year in April.
The city manager said the directive is not limited to hawkers but also matatus, boda boda and bicycle operators who park in prohibited areas.
Wanga said there will be no picking or dropping off of passengers anyhow within the city and hawkers will be controlled on how they transact their business in the CBD.
“The selling of goods will start at 4 pm. Those who will ignore the rules put in place shall face the law,” he said.
Early this year, Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o said he wants to live a legacy of a city that is free from congestion or pollution by motor vehicles.
Matatu terminus was built in the city where the feeder roads pass to introduce mass carrying buses to reduce congestion and air pollution within the city.
However, the changes have been criticized by hawkers and those in the transport sector saying though well-intended, the plan was ill-timed.
George Ouma, a matatu operator said they will lose customers due to the relocation of matatu terminus stressing.
“We will lose a lot of money because of the orders, which requires us to change the places well known by our customers for new ones,” he said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris