The Kisumu government has banned hawking and selling of wares on the city streets.
Governor Anyang Nyong’o directed all traders and hawkers to move out of the streets and occupy the designated markets.
The traders are required to relocate to Uhuru Business Park, which was funded by the government under the regime of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The 5,000 capacity market has been vacant since it was completed last year and is ready for occupancy by traders.
“The construction of the market came when the county government was settling the traders who were displaced during the revitalisation of Kisumu port and the upgrading of railway line,” Nyong’o said.
The port was upgraded to the tune of Sh3 billion. Traders who were displaced from Lwang’ni, Akamba Line, Fontala, Konyando, KPLC, Back Street, Winmart and Varsity Plaza will be relocated to the market.
Nyong’o said the city management was working on guidelines on how traders will operate in the market.
He warned that they will not allow traders on the streets. “Any trader found violating the regulations will lose their business stalls. We will ensure all traders are settled inside the Uhuru Business Park,” Nyong’o said.
The county boss said trading in the streets is not only unhealthy but exposes the traders to various hazards.
Nyong’o pointed that traders should occupy all the markets in the county. “All traders who were allocated stalls at the market and are selling their goods on the streets are directed to move in immediately or lose the spaces,” he said.
Nyong’o, in a notice issued to cartels out to grab market spaces, said the county government will use the biometric system to ensure smooth settlements of traders.
The county will also hold frequent consultations with the business community for their well-being.
The governor said they will deal firmly with people who have been harassing traders and allocating themselves stalls without following due process.
“We shall not tolerate lawlessness at the market. Cartels must keep off the premise,” he warned.
Nyong’o said the county has scaled up waste management through regular environmental cleanups with the collected garbage taken to the new waste to energy project site at Kasese in Muhoroni.
This, he said will ensure cleanliness at all the markets.
