Nakuru’s Kwa Rhonda estate food vendors want the county government to revoke the notice banning food vending in the county.
The vendors say that the notice issued in April is affecting their livelihoods since they depended on food vending to survive.
Lucy Omwanzo, a food vendor in the estate says that her economic status has been hampered following the ban. She says that she can no longer pay her rent or buy food and has to depend on other people to survive.
“The county government should lift the ban on food vending and allow us to do the business,” she said.
Eunice Kamau, another vendor shares the same sentiments saying that since the cholera outbreak has been contained and food vendors should be allowed to continue with their work.
“I had invested heavily in my food kiosk only for the government to ban food vending,” she said.
The food vendors now want the county government to give them jobs if the ban cannot be revoked.
Nakuru County public health department banned food vending following a cholera outbreak in some parts of the county. The department says that the ban is still on until when the situation is fully under control.
Speaking to journalists in his office on Saturday, Nakuru Public health director Samuel Kingo’ri said that licenses will only be given to vendors who will have put in place proper sanitation standards for their businesses and customers.
“The county is not going to allow food vending unless the vendors satisfy that they have put in place sanitation standards,” he said.
Kingo’ri added that the ban on food vending extends to others parts of the county including Naivasha, Gilgil, Molo, Kuresoi, Subukia, Molo and Maai-Mahiu.
The cholera outbreak in Nakuru according to statistics by the public health department has claimed 16 lives.