Urban planning policies and models in most developing areas are usually based on the modernist th... more Urban planning policies and models in most developing areas are usually based on the modernist thinking and are geared towards creating cities and towns constituted entirely of formal sector activities. Any activity regarded as informal is excluded from the urban landscape through the execution of rigid and restrictive planning and development control mechanisms. Unfortunately, aggressive regulatory approaches rarely can solve the problems at stake and street vendor management remains a vexing challenge for many local governments in the developing countries. Despite this, it is now acknowledged that street vending or informal sector trading in cities and towns of developing countries will continue to grow, and as such, require detailed understanding beyond the technocratic approach to urban planning. Building on the critical perspective that understands informality as a production of the state, this paper explores the nature of the regulation of street vending in Kenya. Using Nakuru Town CBD as a case study, the paper also seeks to investigate the disconnect between urban authorities’ concept of centralized city planning, the rapidly expanding informal economy, and the scope for alternative approaches to accommodate street vendors. This research also seeks to address the lives of the street vendors as witnessed by many people in the major urban areas by defining their meaning of the, their work and the limitations they face while carrying out their business. Thus the paper challenges the general conception of the public domain as state land, to recognize the common claim for the street that is core to the operation of urban informal economies. A careful analysis has been done to show the composition of the street vendors regarding their marital status, educational levels and the number of hours that these vendors carry out their work in a day. Challenges the street vendors face as far as the government is concerned has been discussed at length. Various people have criticized the relationship between street vendors and the urban managers. The Nakuru County government has been adamant in legalizing the street vending business, but this report has come out with the underlying benefits of the industry which can be harnessed if it is well established and promoted by the government. Street vending as seen from the analysis of data collected from the fieldwork is a major source of employment for thousands of people both the educated and uneducated due to expanding levels of unemployment in the country. In turn, many people have finally found themselves in the informal sector so as to earn a living from it. At the end of the research, recommendations have been discussed that can effectively deal with the ongoing government-street vendor's relationship.
Urban planning policies and models in most developing areas are usually based on the modernist th... more Urban planning policies and models in most developing areas are usually based on the modernist thinking and are geared towards creating cities and towns constituted entirely of formal sector activities. Any activity regarded as informal is excluded from the urban landscape through the execution of rigid and restrictive planning and development control mechanisms. Unfortunately, aggressive regulatory approaches rarely can solve the problems at stake and street vendor management remains a vexing challenge for many local governments in the developing countries. Despite this, it is now acknowledged that street vending or informal sector trading in cities and towns of developing countries will continue to grow, and as such, require detailed understanding beyond the technocratic approach to urban planning. Building on the critical perspective that understands informality as a production of the state, this paper explores the nature of the regulation of street vending in Kenya. Using Nakuru Town CBD as a case study, the paper also seeks to investigate the disconnect between urban authorities’ concept of centralized city planning, the rapidly expanding informal economy, and the scope for alternative approaches to accommodate street vendors. This research also seeks to address the lives of the street vendors as witnessed by many people in the major urban areas by defining their meaning of the, their work and the limitations they face while carrying out their business. Thus the paper challenges the general conception of the public domain as state land, to recognize the common claim for the street that is core to the operation of urban informal economies. A careful analysis has been done to show the composition of the street vendors regarding their marital status, educational levels and the number of hours that these vendors carry out their work in a day. Challenges the street vendors face as far as the government is concerned has been discussed at length. Various people have criticized the relationship between street vendors and the urban managers. The Nakuru County government has been adamant in legalizing the street vending business, but this report has come out with the underlying benefits of the industry which can be harnessed if it is well established and promoted by the government. Street vending as seen from the analysis of data collected from the fieldwork is a major source of employment for thousands of people both the educated and uneducated due to expanding levels of unemployment in the country. In turn, many people have finally found themselves in the informal sector so as to earn a living from it. At the end of the research, recommendations have been discussed that can effectively deal with the ongoing government-street vendor's relationship.
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Papers by James O Odongo
Building on the critical perspective that understands informality as a production of the state, this paper explores the nature of the regulation of street vending in Kenya. Using Nakuru Town CBD as a case study, the paper also seeks to investigate the disconnect between urban authorities’ concept of centralized city planning, the rapidly expanding informal economy, and the scope for alternative approaches to accommodate street vendors. This research also seeks to address the lives of the street vendors as witnessed by many people in the major urban areas by defining their meaning of the, their work and the limitations they face while carrying out their business. Thus the paper challenges the general conception of the public domain as state land, to recognize the common claim for the street that is core to the operation of urban informal economies.
A careful analysis has been done to show the composition of the street vendors regarding their marital status, educational levels and the number of hours that these vendors carry out their work in a day. Challenges the street vendors face as far as the government is concerned has been discussed at length. Various people have criticized the relationship between street vendors and the urban managers. The Nakuru County government has been adamant in legalizing the street vending business, but this report has come out with the underlying benefits of the industry which can be harnessed if it is well established and promoted by the government. Street vending as seen from the analysis of data collected from the fieldwork is a major source of employment for thousands of people both the educated and uneducated due to expanding levels of unemployment in the country. In turn, many people have finally found themselves in the informal sector so as to earn a living from it. At the end of the research, recommendations have been discussed that can effectively deal with the ongoing government-street vendor's relationship.
Building on the critical perspective that understands informality as a production of the state, this paper explores the nature of the regulation of street vending in Kenya. Using Nakuru Town CBD as a case study, the paper also seeks to investigate the disconnect between urban authorities’ concept of centralized city planning, the rapidly expanding informal economy, and the scope for alternative approaches to accommodate street vendors. This research also seeks to address the lives of the street vendors as witnessed by many people in the major urban areas by defining their meaning of the, their work and the limitations they face while carrying out their business. Thus the paper challenges the general conception of the public domain as state land, to recognize the common claim for the street that is core to the operation of urban informal economies.
A careful analysis has been done to show the composition of the street vendors regarding their marital status, educational levels and the number of hours that these vendors carry out their work in a day. Challenges the street vendors face as far as the government is concerned has been discussed at length. Various people have criticized the relationship between street vendors and the urban managers. The Nakuru County government has been adamant in legalizing the street vending business, but this report has come out with the underlying benefits of the industry which can be harnessed if it is well established and promoted by the government. Street vending as seen from the analysis of data collected from the fieldwork is a major source of employment for thousands of people both the educated and uneducated due to expanding levels of unemployment in the country. In turn, many people have finally found themselves in the informal sector so as to earn a living from it. At the end of the research, recommendations have been discussed that can effectively deal with the ongoing government-street vendor's relationship.