The Nairobi County government has issued a notice to hawkers regarding the sale of their merchandise in the Central Business District.
In a statement signed by Governor Johnson Sakaja, the county government imposed a ban on hawking along walkways within the CBD.
Furthermore, hawkers were warned against engaging in business along main streets and roads, which the county government insists are meant for pedestrians and not for trading.
Sakaja specifically listed Moi Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenneth Matiba Road, Latema Road, Ronald Ngala Street, Mfangano Street, Hakati Road, and River Road as areas that are off-limits to hawkers.
However, it is not all gloom for the traders, as the county government further stated in the notice that hawking would be allowed on designated backstreets and lanes from Monday to Saturday.
The designated backstreets are located along the road from Tom Mboya Street to Kirinyaga Road.
"The general public is asked to take note that anyone contravening this notice will be prosecuted under Nairobi City County Government law," the notice read.
Notably, the notice serves as the latest effort by the Nairobi County government to mitigate congestion within the Nairobi CBD, according to Governor Sakaja.
Previous efforts to relocate traders from the CBD to the Kangundo Road market sparked outrage and public protests.
Sakaja has particularly been critical of hawkers who sell their wares on the refurbished walkways which were recently constructed by his county government.
In April 2024, the Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) embarked on the construction of new passenger walkways and cycle lanes in a move that was aimed at decongesting the city.
The construction works began after the Nairobi County Government secured Ksh8.7 billion in funding from the United States government.
