Uniforms Proposed For Nairobi CBD Hawkers

Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai is urging the County government to implement a comprehensive system for hawkers in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).

In his proposal on Monday, Alai advocated for the introduction of special identification cards (IDs) and coded uniforms, aiming to simplify hawker identification and facilitate monitoring by county askaris.

The envisioned system goes beyond mere identification, as Alai emphasized the potential for traders to access financial products from commercial banks through this new identification framework. However, he didn’t shy away from criticizing the current management of Nairobi, asserting the need for a formalized channel to oversee traders.

Expressing his concerns, Alai questioned the genuine commitment of city officials to addressing the issues faced by hawkers. To address this, he suggested the creation of a dedicated website, juakali.nairobi.go.ke, where comprehensive details about hawkers, including services offered, locations, and identity cards, would be consolidated for efficient management.

In a bid to foster orderliness within Nairobi, Alai proposed the allocation of a specific number of hawkers to different streets, aiming to contribute to the development of a smart city.

He underlined the necessity for organized urban planning, stating, “Nairobi must be orderly. The problem is we are focused on looting what others built while not expanding anything.”

Alai’s proposal, shared across his social media platforms, outlines a multifaceted approach to streamline hawker management.

From specialized IDs and uniforms for easy identification to the integration of financial services and the creation of a centralized information hub, his vision aims to bring about positive changes in how the city interacts with and supports its hawker community.

Speaking to a local media house Alai stated that his efforts to reach the governor have been futile, which is slowing down his plans towards catering for traders in the Juakali sector.

“The governor is playing hide and seek with elected leaders,” he stated via a phone interview.

His plan further involves formalizing the Juakali sector, so people receiving services from mama mbogas, saloonists and other traders in the industry can be confident in the credibility of the operators.

“I plan to have a bill where we will make sure everyone operating within the Juakali sector is registered to enable them to access other services like insurance and banking services.”

Alai went on to fault the County Assembly for failing to deliver its mandate and ignoring to take up laws that could help the public. 

“The Assembly where you can move a motion or develop a bill is captured by the governor. It looks like an extension of the executive leadership,” he stated.

“It should be providing oversight, instead the speaker is acting like a stooge of the governor.”

The MCA further suggested that hawkers who have little experience in navigating the city, and are new at operating in between traffic be assigned to a specific street where they are safer and can be monitored.

“You cannot have everybody operating everywhere, get the reflectors, or something to make sure they are noticeable while navigating the busy streets,” he advised.

Reports of city kanjos harassing traders have been on the rise, with the Nairobi governor, Johnson Sakaja, taking action against specific officers in related cases.