Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja recently banned hawkers from operating along all lanes connecting to Moi Avenue in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
In his directive, the county boss said his decision is aimed at restoring sanity and dignity to the CBD.
“I want to make it clear that there will be no hawking on Moi Avenue” We have a plan for that area, and investors have brought in funds,” Sakaja announced.
However, Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) nominee Charles Njagua aka Jaguar has asked Governor Sakaja to rethink banning hawkers in some parts of Nairobi CBD.
The former Starehe Member of Parliament wondered how the governor would evict hawkers.
He said they ganged up against Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) boss Mohammed Badi and that they will still gang up against Sakaja over his move to evict hawkers.
Jaguar instead advised Sakaja to sit down with the hawkers and find a lasting solution that would not interfere with voters’ hustle
“Wale watu walikuchagua ni hawa, kaa chini na hao ujue vile watafanya kazi. Sisi tulizuia Mohamed Badi kufukuza hawkers. Sakaja ni nani afukuze hawkers?” Jaguar posed.
Loosely translated to: “These are the people who elected you, sit down and let them know how they will work. We stopped Mohamed Badi from chasing the hawkers. So, who is going to drive the hawkers away?”
This is not the first time Sakaja is attempting to decongest the CBD.
Last year, the Nairobi Governor unsuccessfully kicked out Matatus in Nairobi’s CBD after DP Gachagua stepped out to oppose the move.
“I have told the Nairobi Governor that we will have a sitting with him because we are the ones who elected him. I mobilized Kikuyus in Nairobi to vote for him and called him. Any decision that he makes which may affect business in Nairobi, we must first sit and discuss,” Gachagua said.
