The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has asked President William Ruto to work with Nairobi County leadership to ensure hawkers, matatu operators, and bodaboda operators are regulated in the city.
Speaking during the Labour Day celebrations in Uhuru Gardens on Thursday, Atwoli argued that hawkers have increased in number and flocked to the city, tainting Kenya's reputation and painting it as a poor country.
According to Atwoli, the presence of hawkers in the capital city de-ranks Kenya's appearance in comparison to other African cities like Kigali and Abuja, challenging the leadership to borrow a leaf from their peers.
''This city must reflect other cities of the world like Accra, Abuja, Abidjan, and Kigali. We cannot remain in a filthy city, a city filled with hawkers, riders, and matatus. When somebody arrives at the JKIA airport on Mombasa Road is full of hawkers, depicting the picture of the poverty of Kenya," Atwoli said.
"This must come to an end, and we are appealing to the National Government to team up with the county government and make sure we have a clean city," Atwoli continued.
In his scathing address that veered beyond the normal Labor Day discussions on labor rights, the SG publicly rebuked the county leadership, saying more should be done.
This is not the first time Atwoli has trained his rifle on the leadership and look of Nairobi City. In previous remarks, Atwoli expressed frustration over the presence of hawkers, disorganized matatus, and bodaboda operators, arguing that their activities contributed to congestion and disorder in the city.
The issue of hawkers, bodaboda, and matatus has been a long-standing challenge, with the leadership, led by Governor Johnson Sakaja, periodically enforcing crackdowns to restore order and create a better business environment in the city.
Speaking at the same event and reacting to Atwoli's concerns, President Ruto assured that plans are active to ensure that Nairobi regains its glory as a clean and orderly city.
Ruto assured that the National government is collaboratively working with the county leadership in several projects, including the ClimateWorx to clean major roads and the Nairobi River.
“I agree with Atwoli that the city of Nairobi is the face of Kenya, and we must live in a city that has dignity,'' Ruto said.
''I have joined hands with the county government to make sure that we complete all the link roads to make sure that the city of Nairobi has motorable walkways and decent roads in different estates, especially in the informal settlements,'' Ruto assured.
