Today, vendors from Nairobi’s Dubois Street, Gikomba Market, and Nyamakima Market protested the entry of Chinese merchants into the nation.
In order to demand protection for their enterprises, the traders blocked the roads as they marched to the Vice President Rigathi Gachagua’s office.
They marched from Nairobi’s downtown to the CBD while carrying placards and making noise with trumpets and whistles.
Just in front of Gachagua’s office, the protesting vendors blocked Harambee Avenue as they attempted to speak with the police.
The demonstrations take place just one day before their scheduled meeting with Gachagua to discuss the growing number of foreign traders in the nation, particularly Chinese and Pakistani people.
The gathering will discuss the invasion of foreigners into local markets, according to Anne Nyokabi, organizing secretary for Importers and Small Merchants Association.
The requests of the local traders to be permitted to control the wholesale and retail ends of the value chain will be one of the topics covered in the meeting.
This week, the traders from various rival trade centers brought their grievances to Gachagua, pleading for action and threatening to hold protests.
Gachagua underlined during the initial meeting that he will serve as the protector angel for Mount Kenya region-based businesses in Nairobi.
Gachagua said it was time for the hardship that Nyamakima traders had through under the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta to end.
Some economists caution that this could undermine the idea of trade liberalization on a global scale and lead to the emergence of pricing cartels.
The changes followed uproar that the China Square store caused, which resulted in the popular Unicity mall outlet along Thika Road being permanently closed.
