The standoff involving Public Service Vehicles (PSV) matatu operators and hawkers that was witnessed on Thursday, January 30 within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) has been resolved.
This follows a meeting convened by Nairobi City County leadership, led by Mobility Chief Officer Dr. Michael Waikenda, who brought together hawkers and matatu representatives to address the ongoing issue.
According to Waikenda, the meeting resulted in an agreement for peaceful co-existence between the two groups.
“We have agreed with representatives from both sides to co-exist. Relocating hawkers to the backstreets does not mean matatus should vacate. Both parties must collaborate to ensure order for the betterment of the city,” Waikenda said.
This comes after Acting County Secretary Godfrey Akumali issued a statement to the media, clarifying that the directive issued on 6th January 2025 was not intended to displace hawkers but rather to create a structured environment that would benefit everyone.
He added that the two groups should work together, although the order against hawking on walkways remains in place.
Traffic flow within the CBD was heavily affected for the better part of the day after the matatu operators took to the streets blocking main roads in Nairobi CBD, in protest against the alleged occupation of their parking spaces by hawkers.
Videos seen by The Kenya Times showed long trails of vehicles stranded along major roads while others showed a section of the matatu operators playing football on the empty roads.
By the time of publishing, Moi Avenue, Tom Mboya, Ronald Ngala, and Accra were among the main roads affected
Traffic snarl-up in Nairobi CBD
A worsening gridlock on the transport network along routes leading into Nairobi CBD was also reported.
Also Read: Drivers of “Moneyfest” and “Ambush” Matatus Fined
This comes after Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration began a new crackdown, forcefully removing hawkers from their spots on the busy streets and sending them to the backstreets and lanes.
Acting County Secretary Godfrey Akumali on January 6, 2025, issued a notice directing that hawking would only be done in the backstreets within specific times and areas.
According to the directive, hawkers can only operate from Monday to Saturday between 4 pm and 10 pm.
The county also directed that they can only trade in zones stretching from Tom Mboya Street to Kirinyaga Road.
Directive to hawkers
The directive highlighted that no hawking will be allowed on the main streets and roads including Moi Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenneth Matiba Road, Latema Road, Ronald Ngala Street, Mfangano Street, Hakati Road, and River Road.
‘‘‘All walkways within the Central Business District (CBD) are strictly for pedestrians and not trading,” read the notice by Akumali,” adding that anyone who contravenes the notice would be prosecuted under the Nairobi County Government by-laws.
Also Read: Inside Plan to Solve Hawkers Problem in Nairobi with New Ksh747 M Projects
As the cat-and-mouse game intensifies, the voices of hawkers, county officials, matatu operators, and licensed business owners echo through the streets of Nairobi, each group presenting its own set of concerns and demands.
Some of the hawkers have however defied the rules and are still operating from the restricted spaces.
The move to relocate the hawkers to backstreets was defended by Governor Sakaja’s administration, terming it as a way to restore order in the city.
Nairobi Chief Officer for Environment, Geoffrey Mosiria said that the directive was long overdue and there is no turning back.
“There are CBD houses, offices, colleges, and hospitals and these institutions require a quiet and orderly environment. Hawkers were allocated backstreets to ensure walkways remain clear for pedestrians and to maintain a clean city,” Mosiria said.
He stated that the county has built sheds in the designated areas and provided guidelines to ensure smooth operations.
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