Members of the Uasin Gishu County Assembly have kicked off efforts that may help for the establishment of a law that recognizes hawkers across the county.
Huruma MCA Peter Chomba on Wednesday said the recognition of the members of the small business community popularly known as hawkers will end their frequent harassments, especially from county law enforcement officers.
"In my own town of Eldoret, I have on several occasions witnessed harassment of hawkers but there was little that I could do because of lack of a legal framework that recognizes them," Chomba said outside the Assembly building as he spoke to journalists.
There is currently a Bill in the Senate sponsored by Murang'a Governor Mwangi wa Iria that seek to make hawkers' work legal.
The Bill proposes for the creation of the Hawkers and Street Vendors Authority to help in the registration, regulation, and monitoring of their business.
Hawkers across the country will also be officially recognized in case the Bill sails through the Senate and is ascended to by the President.
The 2018 Hawkers and Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihoods) seeks to provide a legal framework for protection, recognition as well as regulation of street vendors in all counties as pillars of socio-economic development.
Chomba said he will individually talk to Senators to convince them to pass the legislation.
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