UPDATE Wednesday, July 1: Police have lobbed teargas to disperse traders forced by Covid-19 layoffs to sell groceries from the boots of their cars at the Windsor roundabout off Kiambu Road.
The car boots sellers had previously been threatened with eviction but appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene noting that they were complying with the Ministry of Health Covid-19 guidelines.
Their removal was overseen by county government officials dealing a blow to the otherwise middle-class Kenyans who were trying to find a way to cope with the job losses occasioned by the pandemic.
Car boot sellers along the Northern By-Pass in Nairobi have appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene after Nairobi County officials promised to evict them.
The traders have been operating from their cars after many of them lost their jobs due to the harsh economic times brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Since the Coronavirus pandemic, I've been selling here at the Windsor roundabout, Northern By-Pass. We have been selling from our cars but we have now been told to vacate the area.
"We are asking our President to speak to his government to allow us to sell and after Corona we will go back to our respective jobs," noted a seller who identified himself as MC Kajogoo.
The traders have disputed claims that they have been leaving waste materials behind, arguing that they conduct most of their activities from their cars hence leaving no litter in the area after finishing their day's sales.
Beatrice Wanjiru a trader in the area urged the government to listen to their pleas as have a number of responsibilities.
"I don't have a husband and I have kids in secondary they all depend on me because I'm the dad and mum. We stay in a rented house so if I'm told to leave the area it will be a huge burden on me because I don't know how I will feed my children.
"I urge the government to help us so that we can be able to sustain ourselves till the pandemic comes to end, I ask that the government can listen to our pleas so that we can stop being harassed by county officials," she complained.
The traders also claim that they have been operating under the Ministry of Health guidelines as they have been observing social distancing, having face masks and sanitisers.
The traders have been selling fresh vegetable produce from the back of their cars and attracted attention back in April due to their creativity.
In Nairobi’s residential areas, the number of boot sales has skyrocketed as they allow locals to earn an income without the hassle of renting business premises.
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