KISUMU HAWKERS CRY FOUL

BY SHEM KOSSE

Tens of thousands of Kisumu hawkers operating their business along the prestigious Oginga Odinga street, Kisumu, are threatening to take to the street to demonstrate against the graft-ridden city council top brass and some clique of Asians for subjecting them to continual harassments while they are going about their business.

Irked by a host of grievances the disgruntled hawkers took issue with the city council?s Senior Enforcement Officer (S .E.O) Mr Erick Hongo, with his marauding askaris for confiscating their wares.

Talking to a battery of journalists on strict conditions of anonymity they said that it appears that the S.E.O is working in cahoots with a clique of wealthy Business magnates of Asian origin who allegedly compromise him to rid hawkers of their business premises.

Worst affected, are the traders who have been their spreading their wares in the premises of the Omino?s towering building which is opposite the Kisumu?s National Bank of Kenya (NBK), which was previously owned by the late areas MP who doubled as the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Joab Henry Omino.

And it has now, since the demise of Omino, changed ownership. The magnificent building was acquired over one year ago by the renowned Asian tycoon who owns the chain of prime properties in the heart and outskirts of the Lakeside City, Mr. Gilani.The sale was to recover a hefty un-serviced bank loan the late owed the NBK bank.

Having been visibly abandoned for several years and mirroring a glory of its former self, the over five decade old building has now undergone a massive face-lift after the takeover.

And hawkers are not allowed to operate in its premises courtesy of S.E.O who they allegedly suspect is serving the interest of Asian business moguls.

The agitated hawkers appealed to the cash-strapped city council echelons to come up with a workable policy framework to relocate them not only to designated areas but also to the sites that is conducive for the kind of business, they do. Since, the proceeds of the hawking are the bedrock of their daily basic needs.

The newly posted town clerk Mr.Makwiwi, battle laden Mayor Prisca Auma among other hierarchy officials were still holed up in a meeting by the time of filing this story.

Its worth noting that in the recent past, hawkers fraternity under the tutelage of the pragmatic Kisumu based prominent lawyer and high ranking parliamentary aspirant of the Kisumu Town West constituency, Olga Olago Aluoch, moved to court to seek an injuction, curtailing the council from cracking whip on the hawkers, thus salvaging their necks.