Nairobians will soon be arrested for buying from hawkers – New Bill

The Nairobi County Government is changing its tactics on dealing with the city’s hawking menace in a trade bill that seeks to have those that buy from the hawkers arrested too.

The Trade bill, which has the county’s Executive Committee (CEC) for Trade, Allan Igambi, pushing the MCA’s to speed up its passing to become law, could be the solution to the decades-long problem that continues to ail the Central Business District (CBD).

Residents will face arrest once caught buying from the hawkers in the CBD in a move that is aimed at cutting down business for the hawkers to further discourage them from the CBD.

Nairobi hawkers are synonymous to running battles with the city council officers which have resulted in deep physical injuries and animosity.

“I urge the MCAs to pass this Bill, this will not be a way to collect money but a deterrent to the menace,” Igambi said of the Bill that was developed during Governor Evans Kidero’s administration but the MCAs failed to pass it.

Igambi also noted that this would be a way to maintain food hygiene and discourage hawkers who sell foodstuff in dirty pavements compromising the health of their customers.

Food street hawkers lack the proper documentation to sell their products and the County Government cannot really assure residents of the foods’ safety according to Igambi.

The bill will in no doubt ensure fair competition since hawkers obstruct shops that go out to pay for the required documentation for their business premises.

“Some even have stalls but leave them to come and hawk in front of other business premises, this is what we want to deal with,” Igambi noted.

Those that buy from the hawkers will be fined an equal amount as the hawkers themselves as they stand accused of encouraging the crime, once the bill is passed.

“I urge the MCAs to pass this Bill, this will not be a way to collect money but a deterrent to the menace,” he stated.

Hawkers together with their buyers will be fined 2000 shillings, once the bill is passed.

Meanwhile, the County Government is renovating the city’s markets to be able to accommodate the hawkers in a bigger capacity.