×
App Icon
The Standard e-Paper
Smart Minds Choose Us
★★★★ - on Play Store
Download App

System that keeps hustlers caged

They hawk clothes at night outside supermarkets. They hawk every piece of item from car reflectors to kitchen accesories in the midday heat. They walk to work and home. They are Kenya’s economic warriors.

Recently a visitor from the country side asked me why those hawkers can’t go home and farm. My answer was that if they were not making money, they would have left voluntarily.

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.
Fact‑first reporting that puts you at the heart of the newsroom. Subscribe for full access.
  • Unlimited access to all premium content
  • Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience
  • Mobile-optimized reading experience
  • Weekly Newsletters
  • MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted
Already a subscriber? Log in