By Joseph Kamau Waweru
Unemployment is one of the major issues that the country is facing today.
With limited jobs that the formal sector can offer, a majority of people usually opt for the informal sector – and in this case hawking has always been among the options on the table.
In Eldoret, just like any other major urban area in the country, hakwing is a major source of employment to not only the youth but also the elderly.
But as much as the sub sector has been a go-to place for the jobless, it also has its on ups and downs.
Peter is among those in the hawking sector. He sells chicken coops at Pioneer estate on the outskirts of Eldoret town on the roadside.
He tells Uasin Gishu News that the location of his business has exposed her to security threats, mostly from Street families, whose numbers keep rising by the day.
“I started this small business in 2015 but its prosperity has always been hindered by lack of sheltered place to work in as well as theft of the materials that I use sometimes to make the coops that I sell,” Peter said.
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It is almost a similar story for John, a clothes vendor.
His business is along River Sosiani, also in Pioneer estate.
For John, lack of a place he can shelder when the sun is too hot or during the rainy season is a major challenge for his business.
He says the government should support the small scale traders like them by upgrading their working conditions such as building better working atmosphere.
“My request to the government is to help us get to better places where we can find more customers and a more secure place in terms of protection from theft cases and atmospheric security suggestively building us the stalls,” stated John.
Another hawker so sought anonymity lamented over the unpleasant and dirty working environment.
She says the place she works from is not only polluted but dusty – scaring away customers from buying her roasted maize.
These are just some of the challenges that traders in Eldoret are facing
The government has since been working on construction of a modern market in Eldoret to cater for the rising number if traders.
According to Ministry of Lands and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Mwangi, the government will construct a Ksh6 billion market in Eldoret thus giving various traders a conducive environment for business.
The process of constructing the market has started and tendering has been initiated.
Once complete, the market is expected to accommodate at least 10,000 traders.
Conducive environment in the market will favor traders