The once busy streets of Thika town are now bare.  No hawkers  are cited near the walkways or outside of shops from shoe sellers to Smokie vendors.

On Tuesday, Kiambu governor Kimani Wamatangi held a meeting with Thika town hawkers alongside their leaders. The meeting was to the address the earlier directive that was issued by the county government, banning  all hawkers from trading along the streets and directing them to use Mukiriti Market.

The notice was given  in order for the government, to expand the town to a city level standard.

During the meeting , Wamatangi said that a 6pm order will be issued and it shall be effective for one week until further evaluation. “The instructions are that no hawkers should be found selling their goods before 6pm . Our enforcement team will work closely with the police to ensure the orders are followed” Wamatangi said.

He also said that, they will ensure  the hawkers businesses are protected and  those working in shops. ”I am sure in due time we will find a permanent solution to this” he said.

Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a, who was also present at the meeting, urged the county government to build modern markets for the traders. She also said that should the county government agree to that, hawkers were to obey.

Even though the 6 pm directive has been issued , many of the traders spoke up saying they are not opposing to the expansion of the town. But urge the county government to find a better solution as many of them have been trading on the town for a long time and to them it is a source of income to them.

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