Street vendors in Nyeri County have opposed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood) Bill, 2023, warning that its provisions could expose them to harassment by county enforcement officers instead of protecting their livelihoods.

The traders made the remarks during a public participation forum held by a sub-committee of the National Assembly Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives on May 5, 2026.

They called for wider consultations, increased public awareness, and amendments to the bill before it is enacted into law.

Vendors oppose licensing and zoning proposals

Vendors raised concerns over proposed licensing requirements and restrictions limiting vending to designated zones. They said the proposals do not reflect how informal trade operates in practice, where movement is based on customer demand and traffic flow.

One trader gave an example of a household scenario where a person with surplus eggs from home may decide to sell them on the street for extra income.

“Such a person is not a regular trader and cannot go through the process of getting a licence,” the vendor said.

The traders said street vending depends on mobility and flexibility, which could be constrained by fixed trading zones under the proposed law.

Concerns over penalties and enforcement powers

The street vending issue has been a long-standing challenge that has also shaped Nairobi’s governance priorities, prompting successive county administrations to attempt various interventions to restore order in the central business district.

The latest directive by the Nairobi County government to ban hawking on major CBD streets such as Moi Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, Latema Road, and River Road is part of renewed efforts to regulate informal trade and reclaim pedestrian walkways for public use.

County officials have maintained that walkways are strictly for pedestrians and not trading spaces, while enforcement teams have been tasked with restricting hawking to designated back streets. The move comes amid concerns over congestion, obstruction of businesses, and rising security incidents linked to overcrowded trading zones within the city centre.

The bill proposes penalties for unauthorised vending, including a fine of up to Ksh 10,000, six months in jail, or both for trading in restricted areas without a permit.

Vendors said the penalties are severe, noting that most earn between Ksh 500 and Ksh 1,000 per day. They warned that such measures could worsen economic vulnerability among small-scale traders.

They also raised concern that expanded powers for county enforcement officers could lead to harassment, arbitrary arrests, and abuse of office during enforcement operations.

The traders rejected the bill in its current form, stating that several clauses are not aligned with the realities of informal trading and may negatively affect small businesses.

Contrasting views from public participation forums

In a separate public participation forum held in Nakuru County on Monday, April 4, 2026, participants supported the bill, describing it as a step toward formalising street vending and improving working conditions for traders.

They said the proposed law could help reduce arbitrary evictions, establish designated vending zones, and introduce structured licensing systems to guide operations within the informal sector.

The bill also seeks to address long-standing challenges faced by street vendors, including lack of legal recognition, frequent confiscation of goods, and inadequate access to sanitation and shelter facilities in urban trading spaces.

Sub-committee chairperson Michael Wainaina assured Nyeri traders that their concerns would be taken into account during the legislative process. He said the intention of the bill is to protect vendors and improve their working environment through structured regulation.