A growing space for dialogue : the case of street vending in Nairobi's Central Business District

Abstract

The tension in Nairobi between the desired modernization of the city and the ongoing "un-modern" activity of street vending is replicated in many cities in developing countries, often pitting the city's local government and formal businesses against street vendors. However, informal sector activities, such as street vending, provide sustenance for many citizens and contribute substantially to the economy. Therefore, for these cities to truly develop economically, it has become critical to understand how the local government, formal businesses and street vendors can work together. In Nairobi's Central Business District, while on the surface the cat-and-mouse game still continues between the two sides over the tug-of-war for "modern" streets, a growing space for dialogue between the different parties is emerging. This dialogue space has brought street vendors in touch with policy-makers for the first time. This thesis explores the factors that have led to this growing space.

(cont.) Four associations emerge as key elements in linking the street vendors to the discourse on policy; one city-level formal business association, Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA), one city-level street vendors' association, Nairobi Informal Sector Confederation (NISCOF), one national level formal business association, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), and one taxpayers' association, the National Taxpayers' Association. Through these associations, two non-conventional conduits emerge through which street vendors express their needs: alliances with growth coalitions and the growing pertinence of the tax discourse in Kenya. While it is still early yet to determine the long term effectiveness of this space for dialogue, its emergence signals a positive change in the direction of the discourse regarding street vendors. It also shows that linkages between formal and informal businesses can go beyond economic terms, to include advocacy and other civic support.