Street-vending in Kenya

In this episode, we seek to understand the political economy of street vending in Kenya, by speaking to Nathan Kariuki, a PhD student at the Centre for African Studies, in Bordeaux, France whose PhD project examines street vending in Kenya.

What is described as the informal economy or jua kali, has been noted to be a significant portion of Kenya’s economy. For instance, it is widely acknowledged that about 84% of Kenya’s workforce is engaged in the informal economy. It is acknowledged that the distribution of people’s participation in the formal vs informal sector is highly gendered. Hence, about 93% of women-owned businesses are in the informal sector. The most visible element of this segment of the economy is street-level trading or vending, a common feature in most of our urban areas. 

 Typically, street vendors - who we often refer to as hawkers -- are self-employed, they may be stationary or mobile and are mostly found along busy streets, sidewalks, pavements, and at bus stops where there are high volumes of people. Some of those involved in informal trade operate in temporary structures or enclosed spaces, such as markets that are often provided by local governments. While some operate throughout the day or night, others may have specific hours of operation, such as during the evening rush hour. 

 Despite their useful contribution to the economy, contributing to the GDP and employment of many Kenyans, the informal economy is often seen negatively. The people involved in this segment of the economy are seen as a nuisance. We often hear, from government officials no less, that they “increase insecurity along streets, crowding streets, failure to pay for licences, and making the streets dirty.”   Thus, policymakers and the well-to-do in society see them as a problem to be solved. 

 However, we see a change of tune during political seasons. While campaigning for office, politicians will often embrace street vendors, promising to make their conditions more favourable. These promises, like many others, are often forgotten when they get elected.