Are police killing hawkers in Nairobi?

Yesterday, Right at the central business district, hawkers protested police brutality and killing of one of their colleagues. This saw the hawkers walk all the way from Ngara to Harambee Avenue through Parliament road to City Hall way to seek audience with Prime Minister Raila Odinga  who at the moment was not in office.

The hawkers lamented the killing of six of their colleagues who have been shot and killed or injured by the police, who accompany the council askaris during inspections.  

“They harassing is too much. They ask us for money from and sometimes forcefully take our money. How long will we continue live this way,’’ said Joackim Nangira one of the hawkers.

The city mayor on the other hand warned the hawkers that they will not relent in their efforts to move the hawkers out of the city centre. 

The central police station deputy OCPD dismissed the allegations of the hawkers and insisted to enforce law if they go against it.  He denied the killings and said that the police’s work is to inspect. 

George Aladwa, the Mayor of Nairobi also came strong against the hawkers.

“They are not supposed to sell merchandise in the city centre. The council will not allow them to hawk on the streets. We are going to be even harder on them.’’ He said

The hawkers urged the relevant authorities to look at the deaths of their colleagues.