Thika traders pressure Waititu over need for better services

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.

The woes facing the embattled Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu are far from over after traders petitioned him for more developments, services and accountability.

Just a few days after Thika residents staged another demo over the county’s bizarre expenditure revealed by the Senate, traders operating in Thika town and its environs took to the streets to protest oppression and poor services by the Waititu-led administration.

Led by Thika District Business Association (TDBA) chairman Alfred Wanyoike, the traders closed down their business premises for over four hours to participate in the peaceful protests.

They later presented their petition to the county officials at the Thika sub-county offices. The traders decried that despite the hefty levies, license fees and rates they pay, they county government has deserted them in terms of developments.

They asserted that Thika subcounty contributes 60 percent of the county’s revenue but they have been dealt a raw deal since their calls for better services have fallen on deaf ears.

They cited the deplorable state of roads within the town that are full of potholes, poor drainage and open manholes that have posed a threat to traders, customers and residents operating within the town especially during the rains.

“Heaps of garbage have been piling within the town and remain uncollected for days and when we asked why it wasn’t being collected we were told that the garbage tracks hadn’t been fueled. We pay rates to the county government and we deserve better working environment,” Wanyoike said.

The Chairman also pointed out that the Governor has failed to solve the thorny issue of hawkers who have infiltrated the town.

He said that since the hawkers were allowed back to the streets by the current administration, most traders have been pushed out of their businesses while others have suffered huge losses since they have been making less or no sales in a day.

Wanyoike noted that the hawkers who come from as far as Kayole, Roysambu, Githurai and parts of Murang’a County have been selling their wares similar to what they trade in their stores at throw away prices leading to an exodus of their customers.

“Since the Governor allowed the hawkers to be selling their wares in town we have been making less or no returns from our businesses yet we are the ones who pay rates and licenses and rent too. The hawkers have taken all our customers. This issue must be addressed,” Wanyoike said.

The Chairman said that traders in the town have endorsed for relocation of the hawkers in one of the gardens within the town once it’s well lit and proper planning done.

They also petitioned the county government to reduce parking fees which have been hiked from Sh60 to Sh100.

“We agreed during the Finance Bill public participation forum that parking fees will not exceed sh 60. The county government went ahead and hiked the fees 100 percent. We want the parking fees reduced and parking slots increased within the town,” said TDBA Secretary General Kirangi Waweru.

The traders also took issue with a section of the county enforcement officers whom they accused of harassing them by illegally arresting them and demanding bribes.

“We are tired of some rogue county askaris who have developed a habit of moving around town extorting money from traders. We will no longer take this low-lying. We will whip them should they continue,” said trader John Muguimi.

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