Wamatangi directs Thika town hawkers to sell wares from 6pm
By Mathew.Ndungu, October 12, 2022Kiambu county government has reviewed operating hours for hawkers in a new plan that seeks to restore order in Thika town, which has been fronted for city status.
Contrary to the previous times where the vendors have been turning the busy town into one large open-air market from 5.30pm, the hawkers will henceforth be allowed to only lay their wares on the streets from 6.00pm.
The new order by governor Kimani Wamatangi will be effective for only one week before another evaluation is done.
The announcement made yesterday brought to a halt a simmering row between the devolved government and the informal traders who had vowed to paralyse the town operations until their grievances were resolved.
In a heated meeting held at the county government’s Thika town hall and which was also attended by hawkers, shop owners, area MP Alice Ng’ang’a alongside MCAs from the sub-county, the governor ordered county inspectorate officers to work with police in reinforcing the new directives.
“The instructions are that no hawker should be found selling their wares before 6.00pm and our enforcement team will work closely with police to ensure the orders are followed. We are committed to protecting the business of hawkers and that of those working in shops and I am sure in due course we will find a permanent solution to this issue,” he said.
The governor at the same time revealed plans by the county to establish a permanent premise where the hawkers will be operating from and where they will be required to pay levies to the county.
Shop owners had proposed the time to be pushed to 7.00pm to allow them more space to operate without interruptions with claims that the unlicensed traders run their businesses with impunity.
Sharp criticism
Their suggestion was however met with sharp criticism by the hawkers who insisted that informal trading was the only way of putting food on their tables and urged the governor to consider them.
The informal traders are however reported to have been selling their merchandise cheaper than the shop owners besides blocking the visibility of their stalls by potential customers.
Speaking at the meeting MP Ng’ang’a proposed establishment of an open space within the town where hawkers can be allocated space to operate from.
“It will also be okay if we can decide to barricade some town roads for particular days to facilitate more business for the hawkers. Should the county agree to give you space in an open ground, I request that you obey so that we can accommodate everyone in town,” the legislator told hawkers.
On their side, the informal traders welcomed the governor’s decision saying it was well-informed and would see their businesses thrive.
The tug of war between Wamatangi’s government and hawkers yesterday also attracted the attention of senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa who called for an amicable solution to the standoff.
“Let us designate streets and spaces, time, systems and resources for hawkers’ businesses across our towns. Hawkers form an integral part of this government. We are because they are,” he wrote on his official Twitter account.