Joho urged to create market days or face protests

Nyali MP Hezron Awiti has threatened to lead a demonstration to compel Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho to create market days for hawkers in the county.

Mr Awiti criticised the county government’s handling of the traders which, he said, had denied them their source of livelihood.

“There is no city in the world that lacks hawkers but they are controlled through by-laws to ensure they maintain law and order, cleanliness and decency,” he said.

Speaking on Sunday at Ziwa la Ng’ombe in the constituency, the MP said he had held talks with the county trade executive officer and they agreed to have rotational open-market days in Mvita, Changamwe, Likoni and Kisauni.

“I am ready for hawkers to have two days to do their business here (Nyali) then move elsewhere to do the same because hawking is not stationary.”

DRUG DEALERS

The MP urged the governor to listen to the traders.

On crime, he said he would co-operate with security agencies to get rid of drug dealers and other criminals in the constituency.

He challenged the county and national governments to create jobs for the growing population of young people graduating from learning institutions every year, to prevent them from getting into crime.

He said insecurity and terrorism had slowed down tourism.

“Most of the hotels are performing dismally due to the threat of terrorism, radicalism and prevailing insecurity that has engulfed the county and its environs,” he said.

He accused the county government of confrontational leadership which he said would only alienate other leaders from the region.