No vote no hawking? Hawkers accuse Sonko of discrimination

• Nairobi hawkers are no longer at ease
• This over an alleged directive that Nairobi voters will be allowed to hawk in the CBD
• They say the directive is discriminatory

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko gave city hawkers a reprieve when he allowed them on the streets as from 2pm to make a living.

But the hawkers are no longer at ease. Reason? The Governor has insisted that only city voters will be allowed to trade in the city.

Grapevine hears that most of the traders are voters registered in neighbouring counties, and this directive could just deny them their source of income.

They now say the orders as discriminative and vowed to defy them and continue eking a living in the streets of Nairobi come what may.

Elsewhere on the grapevine

The fact that National government has not released funds to devolved units is an open secret.

But as the counties curse the National Treasury, Shylocks are an excited lot.

They have gone into overdrive to cash on the civil servants' miseries by charging up to 40 per cent interest on loans taken to meet  basic needs.

For the shrewd business men and women, the county workers’ gloom is their joy, and as the workers pray for money to flow from the national government to counties, they are praying for the status quo. Such is life!