Nairobi hawkers’ ingenious ‘survival tactics’

By Roy Yegon

Their zeal in dodging law enforcers can only be matched by their ingenuity in crafting catchy phrases. They always have new songs to attract customers or warn of impending danger.

The deals they offer are usually a bargain by any parameters and we do not hesitate to take advantage of these great deals.

Cat and mouse

Welcome to the world of Nairobi hawkers and their cat and mouse chase pitting them against the Nairobi city council askaris and the police.

 Their never-ending chase around the streets of Nairobi has made both sides develop new tactics and rules of engagement.

Like the proverbial bird which has learnt to fly without perching to avoid being shot, the hawkers too have come up with ingenious ways to avoid being caught by the ever-vigilant city council officers and the police.

 In their quest to sell their wares when odds seem ranged against them, they have realised the essence of cooperation amongst themselves.

Potent weapon

“In the past we didn’t cooperate with each other and most of us ended up being arrested. Since we started working together, things have changed as we are more alert,” says Gladys Wanjiru, one of the hawkers. According Wanjiru, their unity has helped them coordinate their scampering plans.

 “Coordination is the key that helps us move as a unit to avoid being arrested by the askaris. It also helps us defend ourselves in the event that we are caught unawares, and then we can fight back and escape,” she adds.

One potent weapon they have is used are glass bottles which most of them, especially men, carry around.

According to George Wachira, this has been necessitated by the brutal nature in which the city officers deal with them in the event of an arrest.

“If you have ever been arrested by city council officers, then you know how they deal with people. They even let the police throw tear-gas canisters at us, even at those with babies on their backs,” he says.

This assertion is refuted by council askari Hassan Juma, who says they have been forced to be brutal by the hawkers themselves because of the manner in which they react to arrests.

“When somebody is hurling stones and bottles at you there is no way you can be soft on such a person, whose main intention is to hurt you. We rather disperse them by throwing tear-gas canisters at them and for the unfortunate ones that we arrest they face the full force of the law,” he says.

Makes it hard

He further says that hawkers resist arrest and become violent. To him they are no longer hawkers but thugs under the guise of hawking.

Another askari who declines to be named says the hawkers have sometimes ganged up against and seriously injured them. He also adds that the hawkers usually turn the public against them, which has made it hard for them to conduct their work easily.

 In some cases security guards too have been hurt as they attempted to protect their business territories.