This archive report was first published on 30 November 2019.
On November 30, 2019, Charles Alluang'a, a 49-year-old basket weaver from Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County, was relocated by the county administration. He had been living by the roadside for over three years, weaving baskets using plastic material from second-hand clothes.
According to Alluang'a, he was picked up by council askaris and relocated to a stall at the Eldoret 64 municipal market. He expressed gratitude for the new arrangement, stating that he is now housed and protected from bad weather.
However, Alluang'a noted that he will have to find new ways to market his baskets, as most of his customers use them for tea picking. He also mentioned that he will have to weave and set days to hawk the baskets, unlike before when they were booked by customers even before he could finish weaving them.
Emily Kogos, the Executive member for Trade, explained that the relocation was done for safety reasons. She stated that Alluang'a was exposed to dangers of traffic along the busy road and his raw materials posed an environmental challenge to locals.
Ms Kogos added that her department will monitor Alluang'a's trade and health to ensure he thrives in his new location.
