Street Vendors Continue to Pose Challenges in Nairobi’s City Center

Vendors selling their goods outside major stores and along the streets in the middle of Nairobi city have long been a nuisance to pedestrians.

Business owners who rent shops and even general commuters have complained that these vendors are so numerous that they cause congestion on the city’s central roads.

Some Nairobi governors, including former governor Mike Sonko, attempted to address this issue in the city center but were unsuccessful.

In February 2020, Sonko handed over the management of city services to the central government through the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS). The decision was said to be based on an agreement between Sonko and Eugene Wamalwa, who was the Minister of Devolution at the time, according to the then Presidential Spokesperson, Kanze Dena.

The agreement granted NMS control over essential services, including health, transportation, construction, planning, and development. This made it difficult for Sonko to deal with the street vendors. However, under the leadership of Governor Johnson Sakaja, things seem to be taking a different turn.

Initially, Governor Sakaja stated that he saw no problem with vendors conducting their activities in the Central Business District (CBD).

“Everyone is trying to make a living. There is no need to complain that vendors are filling up the CBD when they are also trying to earn their daily bread,” Sakaja said during an interview.

Governor Sakaja, serving his first term, attributed the presence of street vendors in the city to the failure of previous governors to build markets and allocate specific areas for their businesses.

However, before the visit of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, the governor changed his stance.

On October 25, 2023, he banned vendors from displaying their goods outside major stores and along the streets. Sakaja stated that this move aimed to improve the city’s image as outlined in his manifesto.

“The city must have order. That’s why I am banning the sale of goods on verandas and along the streets starting from this Thursday,” Governor Sakaja said at that time.

Sakaja also mentioned ongoing plans to relocate these traders to backstreets to maintain cleanliness within the CBD.

Since issuing this directive, no action has been taken yet.