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The Nairobi County government’s decision to ban hawking in the central business district (CBD) is long overdue, but it remains to be seen whether the edict will be implemented to the letter.

Though hawking has been a major problem in the city for years, it appears to have worsened since Governor Johnson Sakaja took office.

In the directive issued on Thursday, Nairobi acting county secretary Geoffrey Akumali restricted hawkers to the back streets.

“No hawking will be allowed on the main streets and roads such as Moi Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenneth Matiba Road, Latema Road, Ronald Ngala Street, Mfangano Street, Hakati Road and River Road,” he said, adding that “all walkways within the CBD are strictly for pedestrians and not for trading”.

Nairobi CBD Ward Rep Mwaniki Kwenya has expressed his support for the decision, saying: “These are part of the measures that are geared towards making Nairobi work. This city will never be the same again. Time for populist politics is now over, Nairobi must work.”

The directive follows previous unsuccessful attempts by Sakaja to restore order in the city. On October 25, 2023, the governor declared: “Nairobi will be a city of order and dignity. There will be no hawking on roads and that is not negotiable.”

Nairobi, once known as the ‘green city in the sun’, has lost its charm because hawkers have turned streets into marketplaces, taking over pavements and walkways. From electronics and food produce to cosmetics and clothes, hawkers sell everything, making the city centre a busy marketplace.

As early as 10am, they set up along various streets, blocking roads and pavements, crowding out pedestrians, and hindering legitimate businesses.

On Latema and River roads, hawkers operate from mid-morning to evening, playing cat-and-mouse games with county enforcement officers. Tom Mboya Street has become a hot spot for hawking, with reports of increased crime.

When he was elected in August 2022, Sakaja promised not to kick out hawkers but to allocate them specific places. His first budget allocated Sh100 million for hawker relocation.

In May 2023, he formed a team to find alternative areas for them, marking 29 streets and back lanes. “We did public participation with the hawkers and the leadership in the CBD. Dubois Road will be the model street,” Sakaja said then.

His plan allowed hawkers to operate from 5pm to 10pm, with three by three-foot slots and adequate pedestrian space. However, hawkers remained sceptical.

“I knew this plan would not work because we were never involved in the planning,” said Miriam Wangechi, a phone accessories vendor.

Previous administrations also struggled with the issue. Former Governor Evans Kidero blamed City Hall cartels and politicians for undermining hawker removal efforts.

Kidero’s successor, Mike Sonko, promised to organise hawkers within 100 days of his taking office but failed, while the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services’ plan for a permanent working station near Utalii College never materialised.

In 2021, the Nairobi City County Pop-up Markets and Street Vendors Act established a department to regulate market operations and maintenance. Despite these efforts, hawkers have remained resilient, consistently returning despite eviction attempts.

The latest directive aims to end years of failed policies and restore order to Nairobi, though questions remain about its implementation and effectiveness.