County News
Eastleigh shopping malls to close indefinitely, business leaders say. Moments later, chaos erupt
Chairman of the Eastleigh Business District Association Ibrahim Hussein (Courtesy)
By: Kevin Kyalo and Abdikadir Ukash
NAIROBI—Eastleigh shopping malls will be closed indefinitely starting Thursday, the area business leaders have said.
Speaking at a press conference at Nomad Hotel in Nairobi, chairman of the Eastleigh Business District Association Ibrahim Hussein said the closure was necessitated by a court order last week that allowed the hawkers to set up business along the First Avenue.
“We want to tell the shop-owners to close their premises in protest due to the return of hawkers on the streets,” he said.
Ibrahim stated the business community has suffered loss due the chaos caused by the hawkers.
“Shop owners have reported losses due to the chaos that followed the return of the hawkers after the court allowed them to do business in front of the shops,” he noted.
Because the government allowed the hawkers back on the streets, Ibrahim said the business association “stands a good chance of seeking compensation for the loss it incurred.”
In August, the 45 shopping malls in Eastleigh have called for a three-day shutdown citing frustration by hawkers. The impasse was later solved by the president and City Hall which called for a total ban of hawking on the streets.
Ibrahim Hussein said the businessmen in the area invested at least Sh100 billion but decried interference by hawkers who he said blocked entry and exits of the malls.
He said Eastleigh contributes 35 percent of City Hall revenue to the tune of sh 1 billion, adding traders expected to be covered and their welfare taken cared of.
Ibrahim said the business community was not against hawkers.
“We have no problem with hawkers; we are only appealing to have them relocated,” he said.
On a normal business day, hawkers troop to Eastleigh where they set up makeshift outlets along the First Avenue to trade mainly on clothes at a less cost than what is sold at the outlets in the shopping malls.
Ibrahim said the chaos witnessed in the last three days was instigated by Nairobi county politician who urged the hawkers to return. He was referring to Mike Sonko, the Nairobi senator who held a rally in Eastleigh on Monday where he supported the court order and told the hawkers to return “and feed their children, again.”
“How can you just evict a person who has nowhere else to do business at?”Senator Sonko asked.
Ibrahim Hussein said it was not the role of the business community to respond to claims of land-grabbing cases. “We are businessmen and women and we cannot take up the role of the government…that’s why we are seeking protection from the State,” he stated.
At 1pm when the press conference was over, hawkers took to the street to demand for an end to crackdown.
“The courts have allowed us to do business here (Eastleigh). Why is the City Council askaris arresting us,” Jamed Kimani, a second-hand shoes hawker told Kulan Post along the Tenth Street.
At the Second Avenue, business was as usual, literally.
At 2: 25 pm, a contingent of riot police arrived and dispersed the hawkers.
