Hawkers in Kisumu city have asked the county government to allocate them space to sell their goods as the lack of designated places is costing them.
The hawkers claim that, most of the strategic places have already been occupied by other traders hence they end in places with no customers.
“We keep on loitering in the City centre looking for customers, sometime we face harassment from the county askari who constantly want us to move,” said Moses Obila, the vice chairperson of the Kisumu Hawkers Association.
Addressing hawkers at the Jomo Kenyatta grounds during Labour Day celebrations, Obila said a majority of the hawkers were evicted from Oile market which is currently under renovation to create a recreational park.
“When the market was closed we expected that, those who occupied it will be given alternative places, but the county government has kept silent as if we vanished the moment the market was closed,” said Obila.
The hawkers say that a majority depends on it for livelihood and many have had to quit as the returns are no favourable.
“We are urging our county government to give us an ideal space so that we contribute to the growth of our economy as a lot of revenue is being lost,” added Obila.