By James Wafula in Nairobi.
The NGO council of Kenya has welcomed the directive by Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja that the county will employ 3500 youth to help clean up the city, open drainage and blocked sewers saying the move was a step in the right direction for the nearly 5 million long suffering residents.
In a press statement issued today May 10 2023, council chairman Stephen Kipchumba Cheboi said Nairobi had become too congested, dirty and chaotic from a army of hawkers on every busy street, hooting matatus and screaming touts!
“We commend the governor for the new jobs but let the new work force help to spruce up the city that was once the pride of East and central Africa with clean well swept streets that were washed daily.”
Cheboi said the current situation where an army of hawkers have virtually taken up every inch of space on busy streets forcing pedestrains to walk in the road risking accidents was not acceptable.
Cheboi further condemned the slaying of a student in Kisumu who was on her way to school saying those wielding firearms need to be people of great diligence and restrain.
“This is a completely unfortunate tragedy that could have been avoided if the mob fighting at Kondele had listened to reason instead of threatening public peace.”
He said the council was with the family of the bereaved at this trying moment and urged police to investigate and punish the culprit. Time has come he said for the country to settle down and avoid unnecessary tension in which we lose innocent lives.
He said governor Sakaja must devise a “marshal plan” to rid the city of street families and hawkers once for all by allocating them to lanes that can then be properly organized with lights and stalls.
Time has come he said for Nairobi to restore its former glory as East Africa’s largest green city in the sun■
