Small businessmen in Witeithie, Thika have decried what they have termed as harassment by Kiambu County licensing authorities.
The businesspersons who include hairdressers, barbers, M-Pesa agents, shopkeepers to name just but a few, told journalists on Thursday that for the last three weeks the authorities have been coming there daily to disrupt their business activities.
"I have not been able to open my shop during the day the whole of this week due to the county licensing authorities. I only open in the evening when they are not around," said Anthony Mugambi, a shopkeeper.
They say that the county licensing officers have been storming their businesses and issuing them with letters that makes it a criminal offense to continue operating.
"When they issued me with the letter two weeks ago, they told me to close down my salon business or go to their Thika sub-county office and obtain a license. They warned me that failure to observe either of the two options would see me in court," Susan Waithera, a victim said.
However, a licensing officer at Thika Sub-county licensing office identified as Peter Mwaura, asserted that any business operating without a license will be closed down.
"Residents should stop lying that we are harassing them when we are simply enforcing the law. Let them do the necessary and they will never see us there again," Mwaura said.