The Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism retreated to Machakos County today to meet and consider the stakeholders’ submissions on the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood) Bill 2023. 

The Street Vendors Bill, which is sponsored by Senator Esther Okenyuri, seeks to provide a framework to regulate the business of street vending in the country to ensure that street vendors can transact their businesses in favourable conditions. 

Members of the Senator Lenku Seki-led Committee met with the Vice Chairperson of the Council of Governor’s (CoG) Trade, Industry and Investment Committee and Busia Governor Dr Paul Otuoma who apprised the Senators of the Governors’ views on the Bill. 

Senate Trade Committee also met with the Deputy Governor for Nairobi Hon. Njoroge Muchiri who presented the Nairobi City County’s assessment of the Bill that seeks to protect street vendors from harassment by county askaris.

Other stakeholders who appeared before the Committee to present their final submissions included the Central Organization of Hawkers Association and the Association of PWDs Street Vendors. 

The Committee also considered the Co-operatives Societies (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bill No. 53 of 2023) and Pre-publication Scrutiny on the Creative Economy Support Bill 2024.