Drama in Nairobi as hawkers and touts battle for space in the city center

Business was paralysed for much of Thursday morning after matatu operators clashed with hawkers in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD). The matatu operators blocked key roads in the area in protest over hawkers occupying their designated spaces.

The operators barricaded the roads with their vehicles, making movement in the CBD difficult. Some were seen playing football on the streets after abandoning their vehicles on various roads.

A contingent of police officers was quickly deployed to restore order to the area. Aggrieved matatu operators blamed the county government for failing to issue them with an order to vacate the spaces to allow hawkers to operate. “The problem is that when they (hawkers) were given the letter, we were not given a letter telling us to vacate. That is why we are demanding that business in the city be at a standstill so the governor can explain where we are supposed to go,” one operator stated.

Earlier this month, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja banned hawking  on the main streets and roads within the CBD in an attempt to restore order to the city. In a public notice dated January 6, 2025, acting County Secretary and Head of the County Public Service, Godfrey Akumali, outlined new guidelines to ensure pedestrian safety and maintain order in the CBD.

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The notice specified that hawking would only be allowed on designated back streets and lanes from Monday to Saturday, between 4:00 PM and 10:00 PM. It also stated that no hawking would be permitted on major streets such as Moi Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenneth Matiba Road, Latema Road, Ronald Ngala Street, Mfangano Street, Hakati Road, and River Road.

To resolve the standoff, Dr Michael Waikenda, Chief Officer for Mobility at the county, led talks urging both groups to coexist peacefully. “Relocating hawkers to the backstreets does not mean matatus should vacate. Both groups must collaborate to maintain order for the betterment of the city,” Waikenda said.

Hawkers Association Chairman Francis Gachanja expressed their commitment to working with matatu operators and the county government to maintain order and cleanliness in their designated areas. “We have committed, together with the county representatives and matatu operators, to ensure order and cleanliness in our assigned areas,” Gachanja said.

Godfrey Akumali clarified that the January directive was not intended to displace hawkers but to foster organisation. He reiterated that the ban on hawking along pedestrian walkways remains in place. “Both sectors are interdependent and must adhere to county regulations,” Akumali concluded.