And Now, What of Hawkers?

We have been full of praise for the initiative taken by the Nairobi City Council to address the problem of street children and families. At long last, somebody has realised that the issue of people living on the streets cannot just be wished away. The council must also take a fresh look at the proliferation of hawkers on our streets. Right now, they have overrun large swathes of the Central Business District. Shopfronts have been invaded to peddle wares, while pedestrians are forced to compete with cars because the pavements have been taken over by piece-goods traders.

The usual practice in dealing with the problem has been to sporadically unleash the city constabulary, backed by armed policemen, on the hawkers. Nobody ever seems to learn that force is no solution. The council, in conjunction with the Central Government, must work out a long-term solution. We are gratified to learn that some thought is being given to the problem. A census of hawkers is already in progress. It should be followed by re-establishment of the collapsed hawker licensing system. If that works, designated areas will be set aside for hawkers. They will have to operate within their licensing requirements, including location, opening and closing hours, merchandise sold and even maintenance of cleanliness.

Many such plans have been announced in the past, only to be abandoned even before they are tried out. We hope this time the council will not shirk its responsibilities. If it can, indeed, demonstrate that it is serious about tackling some of the more irritating problems around the capital city, then we must expect the Central Government to chip in with help.

Industry, NGOs, international organisations and even individuals who have long complained about the festering sore that Nairobi has become will, no doubt, be watching the initiatives with keen interest. And they will, no doubt, be ready to play their part in helping make Nairobi a cleaner, better, city.