Nairobi County has announced that it will now arrest not only hawkers operating in illegal areas but also individuals buying goods from them.
Environment Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria said that the county is introducing a fresh crackdown to deal with hawkers operating in undesignated areas.
According to Mosiria, both hawkers and their customers operating in illegal areas will be arrested and taken to court.
“We are stepping up enforcement efforts to ensure compliance. Going forward, we will not only target hawkers operating in undesignated areas but also individuals buying from them, as they are aiding and abetting this illegality,” he said.
Mosiria said the move is aimed at restoring cleanliness and respect for public spaces within the city.
He explained that the county has assigned back lane areas where street vendors can legally operate their businesses, but many have ignored these zones and continue to sell on sidewalks and busy walkways.
“The Nairobi City County Government is fully committed to restoring and maintaining order in our city. While hawkers have been allocated designated back lanes to operate from, many have continued to block pedestrian walkways, inconveniencing city residents and compromising public safety,” Mosiria said.
Mosiria criticised some hawkers for using theatrics and playing the poverty card to remain in banned areas and evade enforcement.
On June 19, the county implemented new rules targeting tea and coffee vendors who sell drinks in disposable cups and bags but do not supply trash bins.
Mosiria said that this waste ends up clogging drainage systems in the county, leading to flooding during the rainy season.
The vendors were urged to operate only in designated back lanes or face arrest, with the risk of having their goods confiscated.
He directed hawkers to vacate main streets such as Moi Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, Latema Road, River Road, and others, and to operate only in designated backstreet areas.
