Mombasa at standstill as GSU battles hawkers

Business in Mombasa town early Wednesday came to a standstill after county and GSU officers engaged hawkers in running battles after they returned to the streets, a day after a high court ruling.

Shops and businesses remained closed in the early and mid morning as police officers ransacked the streets where the hawkers had laid their merchandise.

Several hawkers were bundled into waiting police trucks together with their goods.

On Tuesday the High Court ordered Mombasa County government to allow hawkers to conduct their business outside the CBD pending the hearing and determination of a case against their eviction.

Justice Edward Muriithi directed that there should be no structures erected on the streets, pavements and shop entrances; he also directed the county government to take into account the concerns of shop owners whose shops were being blocked by the hawkers operating on pavements outside their businesses.

The hawkers poured into the streets prompting police and the county officers to forcefully eject them. Mombasa County Acting Secretary - Hamisi Mwaguya has said the hawkers needed to understand the court order. He accused them for misinterpreting it.

“The whole of Mombasa Island is the CBD, it is our commercial area, and the court had asked us to allocate the hawkers areas to work within 14 days. They are in contempt of court and have also broken the county laws of hawking within the streets,” he said.

He said the county government is currently discussing an alternative place for the hawkers, adding that plans were underway to expand Marikiti, Sega and Majengo Markets.

“Let the hawkers go to Likoni, Changamwe or thereabout, we will not tax them we need to organize ourselves as a county and they should not push the government. The CBD is where Mombasa gets its sparkle. We cannot kill this city because of a few 1000 people,” he affirmed.