Sakaja Rules Out Banning Street Hawking, Explains Management Plan

Sakaja Rules Out Banning Street Hawking, Explains Management Plan

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has ruled out a complete ban on street hawking in the capital, saying the informal trade remains an important source of income for thousands of residents.

Speaking during an interview on Radio Citizen on Wednesday, August 26, Sakaja said the Nairobi County Government would focus on regulating street businesses rather than removing hawkers from the city.

The governor acknowledged that many residents depend on hawking to support themselves and their families, making an outright ban difficult to implement.

“Hawking and street business is something that will never end because they are also in need of earning a living. It just has to be managed.”

Sakaja said the county’s approach would seek to balance the needs of street traders with those of formal businesses operating in Nairobi.

According to the governor, shop owners pay rent, licences and other business-related costs. He said street traders should therefore operate in a way that does not unfairly undermine businesses that have invested in formal premises.

Sakaja particularly cautioned hawkers against positioning themselves directly outside shops selling similar products.

He argued that such practices could create unfair competition for shop owners who pay to operate their businesses while also meeting county requirements.

The governor’s remarks signal a shift towards regulation and controlled trading spaces rather than an outright crackdown on street vendors.

Street hawking has remained a major feature of Nairobi’s informal economy, with traders selling a wide range of products, including clothes, food, shoes, fruits, electronics and household items.

For many traders, the business provides an entry point into employment in a city where formal job opportunities remain limited.

At the same time, street trading has been a recurring source of tension between county authorities, formal traders and hawkers.

Concerns have included congestion, obstruction of walkways, competition with licensed businesses, littering and the use of public spaces for commercial activities.

In May 2025, the Nairobi County Government announced plans to completely remove hawkers from the Central Business District (CBD). The proposed ban was presented as part of measures to improve order, cleanliness and movement within the city centre.

The latest comments by Sakaja indicate that the administration is now favouring a management approach that allows street businesses to continue while setting rules on where and how traders can operate.

The governor did not provide a detailed timeline for the proposed management measures during the interview.

However, his position suggests that the county will continue engaging with hawkers and other business stakeholders as it develops a framework for regulating informal trade.

The issue is particularly significant as Nairobi continues to experience rapid population growth and increased demand for affordable goods and services.

Street traders often offer cheaper products and provide convenient services to city residents, while formal businesses argue that unregulated street trading can affect their operations.

Sakaja’s administration is therefore expected to face the challenge of enforcing city regulations without cutting off the livelihoods of thousands of informal traders.

The governor’s latest position also marks a departure from calls for a total hawker ban and places greater emphasis on creating an orderly system for street businesses.

For Nairobi residents, the debate will now shift from whether hawking should exist to how the county can regulate it while protecting traders, formal businesses and public spaces.

Sakaja maintained that street businesses will remain part of Nairobi’s economic landscape, but stressed that they must operate within a system that promotes order and fairness.

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Sakaja Rules Out Banning Street Hawking, Explains Management Plan