Nairobi hawkers to pay Sh500 monthly to operate in the CBD

CBD hawkers to pay Sh500 monthly to operate.

Hawkers will now be required to pay a Sh500 monthly fee to be allowed to operate in Nairobi’s central Business District should a new law be adopted by the City County Assembly.

This is among other charges that are proposed for hawkers and street vendors operating in the county by the Nairobi City County Trade Licensing Bill, 2018 which is currently before the county assembly in its second reading stage.

The bill stipulates that itinerant traders among them hawkers will be required to pay Sh500 if operating within the CBD and a Sh30 daily fee to be imposed for those operating outside the CBD.

Traders using vehicles to display their goods have also not been spared as they will be slapped with an additional tax of Sh10, 000 annually. Hawkers displaying their goods on vehicles will be required to pay an annual fee of Sh15, 000 against a current charge of Sh5, 000. 

To this effect, the proposed bill urges for the formation of a trade licensing department which will be in charge of issuing the hawkers with licenses, advising the County CEC member in charge of trade on classification of businesses and trade as well as carrying out routine inspections on compliance and ensuring compliance.

The bill sponsored by Kariobangi South MCA Robert Mbatia further states that the license of operation will bear the details the goods being sold, location for operation and the working hours as authorized by the county.

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

Additionally, small scale traders such as shoe shiners, street vendors not forgetting cleaners will be required to part with 2,500 yearly in order to ply their trade. This will be a relief to the traders who currently pay Sh5, 000 annually.

Hawkers in Nairobi have perennially been blamed for causing human traffic and disorder as well as blocking entrances to other businesses.

City Hall’s recent attempt to curb the hawkers menace and maximize profits from the group was in January this year when Governor Sonko and the ministry of transport proposed three car free days in a week.

Harambee Avenue, City Hall way, Taifa road and Mama Ngina Street were to remain closed and host hawkers to sell their wares.

City hall was targeting to collect Sh39.5 million daily revenue from the over 100,000 hawkers.

In 2017, Governor Sonko had also announced that the hawkers would be relocated to Mwariru market which is currently under construction.