By Eddah Waithaka
Hon. Mwaniki Kwenya, the Nairobi Central Business MCA, today strongly criticized the county government’s abrupt crackdown on street hawkers, calling it unjust and inhumane.
Speaking after a chaotic morning operation in the city center, Kwenya condemned county enforcement officers for confiscating goods and harassing traders without prior notice.
“These hawkers are not our enemies, they are our brothers and sisters,” he said. “They sell on the streets because they have lost jobs and have no other means to feed their families.”
The MCA revealed that he had spent the night trying to intervene after desperate traders reached out to him. “I didn’t sleep. I was on the phone by 5 a.m., calling officials to stop this cruelty,” he said.
Kwenya accused Acting Chief Officer Eva of ignoring pleas for dialogue. “She refuses to listen, even to elected leaders. How can you treat poor Kenyans like criminals?” he questioned.
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He further alleged that county askaris and police brutalized women during the operation, destroying livelihoods. “They take their goods, demand bribes, and leave them with nothing. Is this how we build our city?”
The MCA urged Governor Johnson Sakaja to intervene, warning that continued harassment would deepen poverty.
“We must sit down as leaders and find a lasting solution, not use force on struggling citizens,” he insisted.
Kwenya, a son of a former hawker, vowed to keep fighting for the traders. “Power is temporary. One day, those abusing it will answer for this suffering.”
The county government has yet to respond to the allegations.
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