After a brief lull, hawkers have returned in full force to Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), reclaiming sidewalks and crowding pedestrian paths in scenes reminiscent of the disorder county officials had vowed to end.
Each evening, the city centre transforms into a maze of makeshift stalls and human traffic, undoing months of enforcement efforts by Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration to clear the streets.
Not long ago, in a dramatic sweep, the Nairobi County Government, led by Governor Johnson Sakaja, pushed hawkers into the backstreets to restore order.
Pedestrians walking past women selling farm produce along Haile Selassie Avenue in Nairobi on July 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation
“No hawking will be allowed on the main streets and roads—namely Moi Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenneth Matiba Road, Latema Road, Ronald Ngala Street, Mfangano Street, Hakati Road, and River Road,” read a notice issued in January by Acting County Secretary Godfrey Akumali.
Mr Akumali insisted that the move was to ensure walkways within the CBD remained for pedestrian use.
“We are greatly inconvenienced. I honestly thought the move was permanent. But here we are again, squeezing through the same chaos especially in the evenings. When it rains, it becomes a total nightmare,” said one frustrated city dweller.
Before the January crackdown, hawkers had taken over pedestrian walkways in areas like the National Archives, Tom Mboya Street and River Road, selling everything from clothes to electronics.
In November last year, Nairobi City MCAs passed a motion to relocate hawkers from main streets and pavements to designated back lanes.
The motion tabled by Umoja 1 MCA Mark Mugambi mandated the county executive to establish pop-up markets and register all traders before licensing them.
The county government was also tasked with ensuring the safety of traders operating around the clock.
Before relocation, designated vending zones were to be gazetted and categorised into unrestricted, restricted, and no-vending areas.
Traders operating without licenses would face a fine of Sh30,000, six months in prison or both.
A number of hawkers occupy the street along Mfangano Lane on July 1, 2025, as they sell various wares to city residents.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation
Governor Sakaja had launched an ambitious plan in 2023 to relocate hawkers to back lanes but it faced resistance. Many hawkers complained that the designated spots were in deplorable condition.
On January 15 this year, the then Chief Officer in charge of City Security and Compliance, Tony Michael Kimani, praised the relocation directive.
“We have seen Nairobi becoming the city we’ve always desired. The glory is coming back. My team and I will ensure the cleanliness and decongestion of the city. The operation will continue until Nairobi remains the city we want,” Mr Kimani said, urging compliance.
However, Mr Kimani’s tenure was short-lived.
Following changes by Governor Sakaja, he was transferred from the Inspectorate Department to the Department of Social Services.
According to Francis Gachanja, Secretary General of the Nairobi Hawkers Association, the return of the hawkers was triggered by recent demonstrations, which instilled fear among customers who had previously bought from the back lanes.
“You cannot expect hawkers to sell where there are no customers. That is why you have seen some return to restricted areas,” Mr Gachanja said.
He criticised the county’s back lane rehabilitation project, saying it lacked proper feasibility studies.
“It seems the project failed and their priorities were wrong. They ignored our advice and chose narrow, inaccessible lanes. You cannot install shades in tight lanes and expect hawkers to operate effectively,” he said.
However, he acknowledged some positive developments, noting that hawkers in Posta and Turkana Lanes had benefited from the successful installation of shades.
Hawkers have also raised concerns about the lack of clean water, toilets and security in back lanes.
The issue reflects broader challenges that past administrations, including those led by former governors Evans Kidero, Mike Sonko and the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), failed to address.
As of March 2024, nearly 3,000 hawkers were officially registered at City Hall and were due to be allocated designated spaces. However, the county estimated that illegal hawkers, many from neighbouring counties, bring the total number to over 7,000.
The return of hawkers is not only a setback for the county but also a source of conflict with shop-based traders, who complain that hawkers block their entrances.
In Eastleigh, mall owners are battling hawkers who have overrun the streets and diverted customers.
Jane Wangui, the Chief Officer for Markets and Trade, did not respond to repeated inquiries about the county’s future plans for hawkers.
All eyes are now on Governor Sakaja, who faces mounting pressure to deliver on his promise to transform the city.
