Hawkers threaten to protest after Sakaja bars them from CBD

The hawkers' association has vowed to march to City Hall to demonstrate against the directive, demanding the right to conduct business without restrictions.  

"We have families to take care of and you can't expect us to leave while we have responsibilities," Dorcas Wairimu, a hawker in CBD, noted. 

Meanwhile, the business community has welcomed the governor’s move, arguing that unregulated hawking has disrupted their operations for years. 

They emphasised that their stance is not against the hawkers but rather a call for order and respect for designated business spaces, noting that they pay taxes to operate legally.  

As part of efforts to restore order, the county government has relegated hawkers to designated backstreets and lanes within the CBD. 

In a directive issued on January 6, 2025, the county government outlined new regulations allowing hawking only from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm, Monday to Friday. 

The designated hawking zones stretch from Tom Mboya Street to Kirinyaga Road.

"Hawkers are overcrowded which discourages our customers from entering CBD," Stephen Wambiya, chairperson, Luthuli Business Community said.