Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja responds to hawker harrassment incident

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja Ndagire Renova.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has responded to Wednesday morning's incident involving a minor Burundian hawker and County Officers.

The statement was made after the county boss met the hawker hours after his picture started circulating online, causing an uproar.

In the statement, Sakaja says he plans to engage the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry on the influx of illegal hawkers and street children in the city's Central Business District (CBD).

"Nairobi City Governor Hon. Sakaja Johnson has this afternoon met with Ndagire Renova, the young trader caught up in an unfortunate incident during routine enforcement by NCCG Security and Compliance Officers yesterday," Sakaja's statement.

"The County will further engage with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the issue of child trafficking and immigration where there has been an influx of illegal hawkers and beggars from neighboring countries flooding Nairobi,"

Sakaja also says his county has also engaged the Ambassador of Burundi to Kenya Evelyne Habonimana to ensure the young man is supported and taken back to school.

Further, the county boss defended the enforcement officers, saying the hawker made a mistake.

"Unfortunately, when Ndagire was caught and the enforcement officer impounded his goods, the minor struggled spilling its contents onto the ground after the handle broke,"

He has reiterated that operating hours for hawkers will begin at 4 pm.