Kenya, in the smear of news, social uprisings, corruption charges, failing constitution, parliamentary embezzlement schemes, fear of Mungiki (cultist mafia famous for their mass beheadings), governmental death squads and generally the dirty cops who function outside the law of the country demanding bribes from neighborhood residents, matatu drivers, and even persons walking the streets…Kenya has decided that it has some important “cleaning up” of the city to do. And with all these pressing issues, what better place to begin than with the poor vegetable vendors trying to support their families one onion at a time!
To be fair, the city councils decisions to oust “hawkers” from the cities comes from pressure arising from business owners who feel that both their businesses images as well as traffic in and out can be hindered by an excess of vendors cluttering the sidewalks (although tribal and class issues also play their part in the argument). The problem facing these vendors is a lack of space in the city where they can sell their produce, fruits, tooth brushes, soaps, cloth and fresh foods. And the spaces which are available are far too expensive for a single mother, uneducated raising children (whom have to pay hefty sums just to send their children to PUBLIC schools). It was many months ago when this ousting began in Nairobi, and was a mostly successful drive pushing vendors to the outskirts of the city and the dangerous highways, though in recent months there has been a hesitant reemergence of these sellers in mostly areas sympathetic to the needs (and besides, Kenyans like buying from the vendors since it is generally quicker, cheaper, easier and fresher to do so). There are of course, in response, an increase of clashes with riot squads and tear gas hoping to break this trend. But they go so far as to “confiscate” goods, baskets, carts, tools, licenses and money which is just enough to break the chance of livelihoods for these families in need. Most afternoons you can find running bodies with gas-aggravated eyes of not only hawkers, but all nearby business people come hurrying down the roads of the cities. The stench lingers hours afterward, and the anger of Nairobi’s population seems to increase daily.
In Mombasa we found the same scenario unfolding; only the hawkers were fighting back. Caught between fire hoses, gas, batons, the crowd set fire to a fire engine, hijacked cars, raided shops. The number of dead remains unclear. Back in Nairobi the news hits and hawkers are given more confidence in their own opposition. The police fired into a crowd killing a woman who just happened to be near the scene.
Most of these women, if they weren’t here selling, would be forced to prostitute themselves or their children. They have been accused of creating too much competition for the mega supermarkets owned by the rich, influential, and even parliamentary figures of the country. Those who sell rice and beans are being accused of taking customers from fancy cafés and restaurants around the business district of the capital (also often owned by the MP’s). But the vendors are one of the last bastions of African identity in this city which is almost completely European in its style, dress, music, occupation, and technology. Without the color, smells, tastes and personal interchanges with the street vendors, Nairobi will have lost one of the great testaments to its ‘self’, and it would only be the last of the many straws ready to furiously tumble in wake of an administration entirely unresponsive to the needs of its people in preference of its own interests.
Le Kenya ou la loi du plus fort : quand la police n’hésite pas à tuer une vendeuse d’oranges.
L’état a décidé de faire du Kenya un pays propre. Alors dans le centre de Nairobi les mendiants, les ordures et les saletés ont déjà disparu depuis un certain temps. Depuis quelques mois le gouvernement et le City Concil ont décidé de chasser les dernières personnes empêchant de faire de Nairobi une ville parfaite : les vendeurs des rues. Ces derniers sont installés partout et à tout moment de la journée. Ils vendent à la fois tout rien, des légumes, des savons et des brosses à dents, c’est pourquoi on les aime. Régulièrement la police intervient dans un quartier ou dans une rue pour confisquer les marchandises et chasser les vendeurs. Le centre de Nairobi plonge alors dans le chaos, les gaz lacrymogènes font pleurer et éternuer les foules. Les mêmes scènes ont lieu régulièrement à Mombasa, dernièrement la foule prise entre les tirs de gaz et les lances à incendie a fait brûler un camion de pompier, en guise de réponse : quelques morts du côté des manifestants. La une des journaux est tout faite. Voilà que le scénario se reproduit à Nairobi. Aujourd’hui une femme va mourir, évidemment, la police tire sur la foule en plein centre ville. Pas très loin de cette tentative de nettoyage gouvernementale d’autres petits commerçants se sont installés. Chacun étale sa marchandise sur un tissu, des piles d’oranges, des aubergines et quelques mangues. Mais Nairobi est imprenable ! Elle appartient à ces vendeurs qui en investissant les trottoirs leurs donnent tant de couleurs, de vie et d’odeurs. Ces vieillards ou jeunes maman qui, s’ils n’occupaient pas cet espace de voirie seraient en train de mourir de faim ou de se prostituer dans les environs de Nairobi. Ces petits vendeurs accusés de faire de la concurrence aux grandes surfaces. Ces marchands qui tentent de survivre dans une ville à l’européenne où l’on veut de l’ordre, de la propreté, où l’on veut faire régner la loi du plus fort et pas celle du citoyen. Mais les petits marchands sont trop nombreux, chassez les d’ici ils reviendront par là s’installer dans l’une des milles ruelles de la capitale. Régler le problème dans une ville comme Mombasa peut sembler bien facile à grand coup de police et de victimes. Mais jamais ils ne prendront Nairobi aux gens de la rue tout simplement car ces derniers sont prêts à y laisser leur vie, pour un petit bout d’espace public.
