The government is on the verge of evicting a roadside chips vendor who has become an internet sensation.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) on Friday, October 8, sent a warning to Bevalyn Kwamboka, a student who runs the chips business in Nairobi's Donholm area.
In a statement, KURA cautioned that it was wrong to set up businesses in areas around public foot bridges or encroaching on road reserves.
Kwamboka went viral on social media when she invited Kenyans to buy the fried potatoes from her roadside kiosk.
"This is unauthorised and an infringement to pedestrian rights, the footbridges and walkways are meant for pedestrian passage and not any form of business," reads an excerpt of the statement.
Cases of traders encroaching on walkways or footbridges to set up businesses are on the rise in the country.
In June this year, KURA warned traders operating along the recently completed Ngong Road against setting up businesses on road reserves, thereby obstructing pedestrians and motorists.
KURA raised the alarm following an influx of roadside makeshift shops, especially those dealing in plants and pottery.
The statement by KURA came just a day after the trader called out nominated Senator Millicent Omanga for allegedly lying that she had gifted her with money, umbrellas and aprons.
Kwamboka clarified that the Senator had gifted her with an umbrella and no money as had been pointed out on her Twitter account.
In addition, she noted that the Omanga's team left with some of the items that they had alleged to have given her.
"For clarification, team Millicent Omanga only bought potatoes worth Ksh 350, came out of the vehicle with 5 umbrellas, took photos returned them and gave out one and two aprons," she stated.
In a rejoinder, Omanga alleged that the student wanted to dent her character and noted that she did the best she could in the circumstance she was in.
"I'm thus disturbed to learn that she has complained and rubbished the support she got through my office.
"I did my best under the circumstances and I'm sorry that I didn't meet her expectations which appear to have been higher. In such situations the truth, honesty and facts are sacrificed at the alter of social media fame, blackmail and malicious," she stated.
