City Hawkers set to pay monthly fees

The Mike Sonko-led Nairobi City government is set to introduce a monthly Sh500 fee for hawking in Nairobi’s city centre.

This is if a Bill seeking to make legal peddling of goods in the Central Business District (CBD) is adopted by the County Assembly.

The Bill, Nairobi City County Trade Licensing Bill, 2018, which went through the second reading- introduces rules and charges to guide hawking and micro businesses like shoe shiners.

It proposes that hawkers plying their trade outside the CBD will part with Sh30 daily.

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Nairobi’s CBD has witnessed a sharp rise in street hawking in recent months with attempts to move the hawkers outside the city centre met with stiff resistance from the traders.

Hawkers displaying their goods on vehicles will be required to pay an annual Sh15,000 fee, a sharp increase from the current Sh5,000.

Those operating from cars and backpacks selling goods from clothes to electronic have been on the increase.

The bill proposes the creation of a unit named the Directorate of Trade Licensing that will offer permits to the hawkers.

The permit will capture the goods hawked, the restricted hawking locality and the hours of operation.

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“No person shall act as a hawker unless he or she is in possession of a valid hawker’s licence unless they operate business exempted from licensing. A hawker shall be required to produce his or her licence on demand for inspection by the enforcement officer at all times,” reads the bill sponsored by Kariobangi South MCA Robert Mbatia

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Hawkers menace in Nairobi has been a thorn in the flesh for other licensed business owners and residents who accuse them of blocking streets, pavements and their businesses.

The Bill also contains a clause that will see small informal sector traders like street vendors, shoe shiners and cleaners pay the county Sh2,500 annually down from the current annual fee of Sh5, 000.

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