By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 4 May 2026 - Kenya’s long-running street battles between hawkers and authorities could soon give way to order, protection and predictability—if Parliament delivers on an increasingly bold legislative promise.
Members of Parliament are pressing for a unified national law to regulate street vending across all 47 counties.
The move, the MPs say will finally end the cycle of harassment, confiscations and forced evictions that has defined the sector for years.
The proposed framework, anchored in the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood) Bill, 2023, seeks to compel counties to create designated trading zones while introducing clear, enforceable standards for how hawkers operate—and how they are treated.
At its core, the effort is about certainty.
For decades, hawkers have existed in a legal grey zone, tolerated in some areas and expelled from others, often at short notice.
MPs now argue that such inconsistency has bred conflict, undermined livelihoods and eroded trust in local authorities.
Leading the legislative charge is Marianne Kitany, Vice-Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, who has emerged as one of the most vocal proponents of reform.
“This is not about removing hawkers from our towns—it is about recognising them, organising them and protecting them,” she said, in remarks that underscore a shift in tone from enforcement to inclusion.
Kitany said the proposed law will introduce a structured system where traders are registered, allocated spaces and integrated into county planning frameworks—effectively bringing informal enterprise into the fold of formal economic policy.
“We are building a framework that gives dignity to small traders,” she added.
Sources confided to us that it is President William Ruto who was seeking for these changes to better the business of hawkers and vendors.
“Once you have designated zones and a proper register, you eliminate the excuse for harassment. The law will be clear, and it will apply uniformly across all counties.”
She emphasised that Parliament is not acting in isolation.
The committee has received submissions from key stakeholders, including hawkers’ associations, the Council of Governors and county representatives, many of whom have backed the idea of formal registers to streamline licensing and planning.
Beyond the hawking Bill, Kitany revealed that MPs are pursuing a broader economic reform agenda—working on a startup bill to simplify business registration and engaging stakeholders on a “Local Content” framework aimed at strengthening domestic production and expanding market access.
“This is about creating an ecosystem where enterprise can thrive—from the smallest trader to larger industries,” she said.
“We cannot grow the economy if we ignore the people who power it daily.”
Crucially, the hawking legislation has now entered a decisive public phase.
Beatrice Adagala confirmed that the Bill has already passed through the Senate and is now before the National Assembly, where it has been subjected to public participation.
“The Bill is now in the hands of Kenyans,” she said.
“They will interrogate it, approve it or propose changes. That is the strength of our legislative process.”
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Adagala struck a firm and reassuring tone, insisting that MPs are determined to see the process through to its conclusion.
“We are committed, as Parliament, to ensure this law is enacted,” she said. “The voices we are hearing from traders and citizens only strengthen our resolve to deliver a framework that works.”
She added that the goal is not merely to pass legislation, but to end a long-standing injustice.
“No Kenyan should be chased from the streets simply for trying to earn an honest living,” she said. “This law is about fairness, order and protection.”
Adagala further noted that public participation will play a critical role in shaping the final form of the law, with MPs expected to incorporate views from across the country before tabling it for final debate and passage.
On the streets, where policy meets reality, the proposals have been met with cautious optimism.
Hawkers say the promise of designated spaces and legal recognition could transform their daily lives.
Ken Omollo, a street vendor, welcomed the move as “long overdue”, saying constant run-ins with authorities have made business unpredictable and, at times, untenable.
Valeria Atieno echoed the sentiment, noting that a clear system would allow traders to plan, invest and grow without fear of losing their merchandise overnight.
Molly Ogutu said formal recognition would bring dignity to a profession often dismissed despite sustaining thousands of households.
Jane Atieno added that what traders want most is stability.
“We are not asking for favours,” she said.
“We just want a fair chance to work.”
Their voices capture the stakes of the debate.
Kenya’s informal sector employs millions, acting as both a safety net and an engine of grassroots commerce. Yet it remains largely unregulated—and, critics say, under-protected.
MPs now believe they have a chance to change that.
If the law is enacted and implemented effectively, it could redraw the relationship between the state and street traders—replacing confrontation with coordination, and uncertainty with rights.
The vision is ambitious: orderly towns, protected livelihoods, and a system where enforcement is guided not by discretion, but by law.
For Kenya’s hawkers, it is a vision worth watching.
Because this time, Parliament is not just debating their future—it is promising to secure it.