Mombasa inspectorate officers accused of harassing traders

Former Nyali MP Hezron Awiti at Mamba Village in Mombasa County on Thursday 17th November 2023. [Kelvin Karani, Standard] Former Nyali MP Hezron Awiti has accused Mombasa County Inspectorate officers of harassing hawkers and carting away their property with impunity. Awiti said that officers from the county's inspectorate department were confiscating hawkers' property on display for sale along various places in town. He said that some victims had taken loans to buy the wares after they were confiscated and disappeared without a trace. However, Mombasa County Head of the Enforcement Department Charles Changawa defended the decision to remove the hawkers from the streets in the town centre. Changawa said some hawkers were to blame for selling their wares along the road pavement, which was causing obstruction in the town centre. "Mombasa is a tourist's town, and when we allow the hawkers to occupy the pavements, the county government will be blamed for not having control of the hawkers," said Changawa. He denied claims that what had been confiscated from the hawkers had been disappearing in the hands of the askaris. "Those whose property has been confiscated should feel free to collect it on Monday at the county's store where it is being kept," said Changawa. But Awiti, who held a press conference while accompanied by small-scale traders' officials in the county, called on Governor Abdulswamad Nassir to intervene. "We want Governor Nassir to explain to Mombasa residents where the goods his askaris have impounded from the hawkers take them and who should be held responsible, as they are never traced after being confiscated," said Awiti. Awiti said it was unfair to subject the small businessmen to perennial harassment without finding a solution to help them have an alternative place to do business without interference. However, Changawa said his team has organised a meeting with the leaders of the hawkers' association next week to find a solution to the problem. "We have organised a meeting with the small traders' officials to resolve the matter so that they can go and tell the hawkers that hawking in the town centre has been banned in the town centre, especially during Christmas and New Year. Changawa cited that selling roasted maize cobs, frying potatoes, and selling shawarma on the road pavement in the town centre will not be allowed. "The governor is supposed to create a conducive environment for doing business in the town and not allow his askaris to harass the people who voted for him," said Awiti. He concurred with Wilson Onyi and other small businessmen officials who had raised complaints about the supply of fresh water in the town, which has now been taken over by owners of water tankers in the town. Awiti said even tourist hotels are these days forced to buy fresh water from owners of fresh water tanks, who are fleecing the residents with water being supplied by the Ministry of Water. He wonders what has happened to the fresh tap water supply in Mombasa County in various parts of the town, regretting that Mombasa residents are being subjected to the high cost of buying fresh water. Awiti, who is the Vibrant Democratic Party (VDP) leader, warned politicians in Mombasa against discriminating against those working in Mombasa.

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