A commercial court in Nairobi has ordered hawkers operating in the city centre to move out with immediate effect.
While making the ruling on Monday, Chief Magistrate Peter Muholi said that the “traders cause immense suffering” to other people using the streets and should therefore move out.
“As correctly pointed out by lawyer Titus Koceyo for the Nairobi City County, all other users of city streets suffer undue hardship, inconvenience and are subjected to chaotic environments due to hawkers spreading their goods without order,” Muholi said in his ruling.
He also dismissed two cases previously filed by the hawkers through their lawyers Sheila Mugo and Elizabeth Muthoni Karanja which sought to stop county askaris from arresting or interfering with the hawkers’ operations along Moi Avenue and Tom Mboya Street.
“The loss that would be occasioned on the other users of the affected streets would be more immense and on a balance of convenience, the scales of justice would tilt in favour of the city county, which is tasked with the responsibility to ensure law and order is maintained,” added Muholi.