Mosiria meets street vendors who harassed and insulted him, promises support
By Mustafa Juma, July 13, 2025Nairobi County’s Chief Officer for Environment, Geoffrey Mosiria, has pledged to support street vendors following a tense initial encounter.
The conflict arose when Mosiria confronted two women operating outside their designated vending areas.
Taking to his official X account on the night of Saturday, July 12, 2025, Mosiria stated that the tensions had escalated, not due to outright resistance, but because the vendors felt misunderstood and lacked adequate platforms to voice their concerns.
Constructive exchange
However, a subsequent meeting in a calmer setting allowed for a more constructive exchange, revealing the root of their frustration: the designated backstreet spaces were already fully occupied, leaving them with few options.
“During one of my recent supervision rounds in the CBD, I had a heated exchange with two ladies who were operating outside their designated areas. At the time, tensions rose, not because they were unwilling to comply, but because they felt misunderstood and lacked the right platform to express their concerns,” Mosiria stated.
“Today, we met again—this time, in a calm and constructive environment. I took time to listen, and I came to understand that their frustration stemmed from the fact that the designated backstreet spaces were already full, and they didn’t know how to communicate that effectively.”
Adding: “I truly appreciate their honesty and resilience. They deserve to be supported, not sidelined. I assured them of my commitment to help guide them to appropriate trading spaces where they can work peacefully and without interference. I also promised to link them with the relevant government programs that empower small traders. Let’s choose to build, not break. Everyone deserves to be heard. Everyone deserves a chance to thrive.”
Forgiveness
Mosiria had earlier indicated that he had forgiven the two vendors for insulting him.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, Mosiria said the group of women hawkers decided to harass him after he asked them to vacate the walkways and go to the backstreet, the designated areas for city hawkers.
“We must restore order in our city. I was recently insulted and harassed by a group of women simply because I asked them to do the right thing, move to the designated backstreets meant for hawkers. Despite their actions, I have chosen to forgive them. It’s time we turn a new page and start respecting the law for the greater good of our city,” he stated.
According to the city official, being poor should never be used as an excuse to break the law.