Motion backing hawkers CBD return rejected

 

Nairobi plans to build 14 markets this financial year to ease the hawker problem. Photo/FILE 

By KIARIE NJOROGE

In Summary

• Nominated MCA Abdi Mohammed withdrew the motion after members reckoned that it would create disorder in the central business district.
• The motion sought to have the hawkers operate along the streets at specific times to avoid sporadic clashes with city inspectorate officers.

A motion seeking to reserve River Road, Tom Mboya and Ronald Ngala streets for hawkers was Tuesday withdrawn following opposition from Nairobi County Assembly members.

 

Share This Story

0
inShare

Nominated MCA Abdi Mohammed withdrew the motion after members reckoned that it would create disorder in the central business district (CBD), which is already congested.

The motion sought to have the hawkers operate along the streets at specific times to avoid sporadic clashes with city inspectorate officers.

“This assembly urges the county government...to allow the hawkers to use designated areas within the CBD to carry out their businesses within specific time in order to avoid running battles with the city county inspectorate department,” read a section of the motion.

Had it passed, it would have seen hawkers allowed back into the CBD several years after they were pushed to the periphery.

Most of them now operate from Ngara, but few make their way to the city centre, especially in the evenings, targeting workers going home.

Leader of Majority Elias Otieno said that hawkers would interfere with traffic, adding that there were markets for the traders, like Muthurwa.

“If we pass this motion, we won’t be doing justice to the people who pay for the stalls along these streets,” he added.

Viwandani MCA Samuel Nyangwara said that it would be a disservice to the governor to allow hawkers back on the streets when he was trying to decongest the city.

The MCAs also pointed out that the recently approved budget had made allocations for the building of 14 markets to ease the hawker problem.

The county government enforcement officers have previously been involved in violent clashes with hawkers sometimes resulting in deaths.