Senator Nyamu demands answers regarding the crackdown on Nairobi hawkers

Parliament Buildings
Wednesday, 21st May 2025

Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has raised an alarm seeking a statement from the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations regarding what she referred to as harassment, abuse and violent eviction of hawkers in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) by Nairobi City County enforcement officers.

"Recent events in the CBD have brought to light troubling incidents involving county enforcement officers against hawkers. These include physical assault, extortion and sexual abuse, particularly targeting female hawkers. Such acts are not only unethical and unlawful, but also violate Articles 28 and 29 of the Constitution as well as statutes, including the Sexual Offences Act and the Code of Conduct for public officers,” stated Sen. Nyamu. 

“The informal sector serves as a critical economic lifeline for many urban residents and should, therefore, be integrated into the urban economy. However, hawkers continue to face harassment, unlawful arrests, confiscation of their goods and intimidation often by officers who are unidentifiable and operate with impunity,” she added.

In her request, she called for clarity on the policy framework guiding the Nairobi City County Government's enforcement officers' actions against hawkers. She also demanded to know whether enforcement officers received sufficient training to ensure compliance with the law and ethical standards and the systems in place to hold them accountable for misconduct.

The UDA Party Lawmaker further sought clarification on measures being taken by the County Government to establish inclusive, adequate and accessible vending spaces for hawkers while ensuring protection, especially for women, from physical abuse, extortion and sexual violence. 

The Committee chaired by Sen. Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo) is required to establish the existence and effectiveness of oversight and complaint-handling mechanisms through which hawkers and the public can report misconduct by enforcement officers.