A show of supremacy is looming in Nakuru after two lobby groups clashed in ideas in regard to the modern kiosk project being undertaken by the county government.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Nakuru Street Traders and Hawkers Association have expressed varied ideas towards the project with 52 kiosks already completed and ready for use.
With the street traders chairperson Simon Sangale applauding the initiative, NTSA chairperson Lee Kinyanjui has on the other hand come out to disapprove the project saying that some kiosks have encroached road reserves while others are situated at unsuitable locations according to the roads acts.
In a press briefing in Nakuru Town on Tuesday after visiting the site, Kinyanjui noted that the structures would be disadvantageous in the case of accidents.
He noted that the structures near the Shabab Roundabout must be removed.
“These structures limits a driver’s visibility leading to reduced vision in that a driver cannot see an oncoming vehicle from the other side. It’s also very likely that people can be trapped in the structures in the case of a car swaying off the road and ramming in them making it very difficult for rescue operations.”
Sangale, however, says the project was an answer to their long-term pleas for better working conditions.
“Hawkers and street traders have been ignored for a very long time. This project is an indication that at list somebody somewhere has recognised our importance,” he said.
He called for patience saying that everything will be dealt with in a manner that will satisfy the interests of all the parties involved.
“All procedures were followed in identifying strategic positions where the modern kiosks would be placed, nobody should worry because we are trying to solve the matter amicably,” he added.
The two groups are set for a crisis meeting on Thursday (today) in Nakuru to help find a lasting solution to the issue.