- Sakaja rules out a total hawking ban, offering relief to thousands of informal traders
- Nairobi County plans to control where and when hawkers can operate
- Governor seeks a balance between street traders and formal MSMEs facing business costs
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has ruled out a ban on street hawking in the capital, saying the informal trade remains an important source of livelihoods while promising measures to regulate the sector and create a fairer environment for small businesses.
Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, August 26, Sakaja said the county government would not eliminate street hawking but would instead manage where and when traders operate.
According to the governor, hawking has become an established part of Nairobi’s informal economy and cannot simply be eliminated.
“Hawking and street business is something that will never end because they are also in need of earning a living. It just has to be managed,” Sakaja said.
The governor’s remarks offer relief to thousands of micro and small traders who depend on street businesses for daily income, particularly those operating with limited capital and without formal premises. However, Sakaja said the county must also protect small and medium-sized enterprises that pay rent, licences and other operating costs.
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He cautioned hawkers against setting up businesses directly outside established shops selling similar products, saying such practices could undermine enterprises that meet formal business costs.
“You cannot go sell in front of someone’s shop when he pays rent and sells the same as you do. We have to find balance,” Sakaja said.
Sakaja said hawking would not be permitted in every part of Nairobi, with the county expected to designate specific areas where street traders can operate.
The county will also establish specific timelines during which hawkers will be allowed to conduct business.
The approach could reshape the operating environment for Nairobi’s MSMEs by allowing informal traders to continue earning while reducing direct competition with formal businesses.
In May 2025, the county announced plans to completely ban hawkers from the city centre as part of efforts to keep the Central Business District tidy.
Sakaja’s latest position, however, signals a shift towards regulation rather than an outright ban, potentially giving thousands of informal traders an opportunity to continue operating under clearer county rules.
By Bernard Magada
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