MATAYOS MP CONDEMNS HARASSMENT OF SMALL SCALE TRADERS BY BUSIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT ASKARIS

Matayos MP, Hon.Godfrey Odanga

By F. Agunda

Busia small scale traders have come out to condemn the harassment meted to them by the County Askaris. The traders claim that they were brutally evicted from their stalls by the officers who also destroyed their properties.

The traders say that they were not given any advance notice before the inhumane eviction took place.

"They just came and started pulling down our stalls, in the process, millions of shillings worth of property and goods was lost, “one trader said.

Another trader wondered why they were not given any notice and an alternative site to conduct their businesses bearing in mind that they dutifully pay rates to the county.

 

 Small scale traders on the streets of Busia town

The County government has however defended its action saying that the traders had encroached on a public road saying that the dualling of the road could not wait. Matayos Member Parliament, Hon.Godfrey Odanga, condemned the harassment perpetuated against the traders, Mr. Odanga The Weekly Vision reporter from Busia, he wants the County government to change its way of handling matters of this nature.

The MP advised the County government officials to always engage locals through public participation before making any hasty decisions .He lauded the move to dual the road but wondered why the traders were not given any notice and an alternative site.

"I want the County government to change the way it handles locals, if Wananchi complain, the County government should listen and engage them in a sober way, dueling the road is well in order but why didn't the traders given a notice and alternative site?" the MP wondered.