A crackdown on open air markets along busy roads has been launched across major towns following a directive issued by Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen on Saturday, July 1.
The Transport CS, at the time, announced that the government would work on a formula to relocate hawkers conducting business along major highways.
Following Murkomen's statement, a number of counties had already started the exercise by Sunday, July 2.
The crackdown kicked off in Kericho County and was hit by resistance from traders who demanded that it should be carried out in a structured format. In Kiambu, Nakuru and Machakos, traders were also asked to steer off from selling products and produce along busy highways, with majority defying the directive.
Traders from Kapkelek market in Kericho County begrudgingly left the market noting that they had accepted the crackdown due to the tragedy that claimed 51 lives.
The decision to move traders was not welcome in Londiani, which is the main trading centre for residents drawn from Londiani, Chepseon and Kedawa Sub Counties.
Following the tragic accident which happened on Friday, June 30, administration officers brought down the stalls erected on the busy Kericho-Nakuru Highway.
In defiance, the Londiani residents started erecting makeshift structures on Sunday, July 2, noting that hawking by the roadside was their only source of livelihood.
The crackdown was also met with resistance in Kiambu, Nakuru and Machakos noting that they were not given notice to relocate.
In Machakos, the residents noted that it would be hard for them to relocate since they had not been given a viable alternative.
"Accidents do happen. Even here, people get knocked by motorcycles every other day but we have learnt on how to live with the dangers involved," one of the hawkers in Machakos noted.
Murkomen in his directive noted that all markets along road reserves would be relocated, an exercise that would be undertaken by the county governments in partnership with the national government through an intergovernmental framework.
