Nakuru hawkers have vowed not to allow matatus in the CBD. The matatus which were earlier parking at the Kirimbux lane have been relocated to the central business district.
The decision was made by Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugwa’s administration. However, hawkers in the Central Business District have said they will not stand and watch matatus occupy their business space in town.
According to the Nakuru Street Traders and Hawkers Association chairperson Simon Naseiku the matatus will displace up to 2,000 traders.
"The government agreed that the 2,000 traders were to be using this business space to earn a living. If the governor’s office has decided that the matatus be relocated to this place, then the office is going against the agreement that we reached at some time back," he said.
He said that the agreement was arrived at in January last year when the county government evicted all hawkers from the CBD in what it termed as efforts to decongest the town.
The agreement further stated that the matatus were to be also evicted from the CBD to the place where hawkers had been located to ensure that the hawkers remain in business. However, the government last week allowed some matatus to go back to the CBD something hawkers feel they should have been consulted.