Should hawkers be off the street?

As the government prepares to move hawkers off the streets of Malawi, we're asking: Would you breathe a sign of relief or be sad to see your streets free of informal traders?

Malawi's hawkers have until 15 April to leave the streets for covered flea markets or face forced eviction.

There has been huge resistance so far - a February deadline had to be extended after street battles between the vendors and the police.

Hawkers complain that they will lose out on business.

Do you find street hawkers a nuisance or a delight? Do they contribute to the economy or to crime figures? What's the most funny, outrageous or bizarre goods a street trader has tried to sell you? Are you or have you been a hawker?

This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.

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Your comments:

Sending hawkers off the street will amount to denying many of their source of livelihood. I can remember selling rice on the street with my sisters in the 80s to support my mother when we lost our father. Getting a shop may sometimes be too expensive so the only way out will be to go out and sell. This can, however, be regulated by the government to prevent its abuse. Hawking in the highways should ,however, be prohibited.
Maxwell Ukpebor, Lagos, Nigeria

Yes hawkers should be moved off the street. Not that they are nuisance but because the city becomes very unruly and unkempt. You should see the inner city of Joburg with their shelters all over the city pavements with no walking space for pedestrians. This serves as a breeding space for criminals, not to mention the eyesore they've become. These people need a market place. Some kind of order and regulation is needed.
Gadifele Mogami, Johannesburg, South Africa.

I don't think street hawkers are a nuisance because they sell things at a cheaper rate and more available as one is going home can get things on the way. The only thing the government should do is give them a central place where they can sell their goods because if they are chased from the streets where will they go to? They are the people who will start beating other citizens to look for income. So I think the government should come in and get them a central market.
Susan Mukunga, Nairobi/ Kenya

I will like them to be off the street because some of them are pickpocket on the bus stops and traffic hold-ups where they sell their goods.
Madueke Chika, Enugu, Nigeria

This is a very welcome move in Malawi. The Government can be able to collect taxes from them which, in turn, will contribute to the economic development of the country and we are sure that crime in the streets will be greatly reduced. Cleanliness in the city will also be enhanced and quality of their products can be monitored because they will be in one place. Go Go Malawi!!
Rodney Lunduka, Norway

Hawkers can't leave the streets because that's how they make their ends meet Naomi Banda, Zambia

No way. Hawkers can't leave the streets because that's how they make their ends meet and they also contribute to the national income. They may be rude at times but we can't blame them because that's how they operate. Governments should instead put in place a market where they can operate from.
Naomi Banda, Zambia

Come to think of it. How many people go into shops to buy vegetables, fruits, plantain, yam tubers and other perishable food items? How much do these traders make to pay the exorbitant fees for shops? And, after all, everybody is in a hurry and prefers to buy things while on the move to save time. Street trading has come to stay because we encourage it directly or indirectly.
Chinedu Ibeabuchi, Lagos, Nigeria

What is the difference between African hawkers and a typical hot dog stand or flea market in New York City? They are all the same!! The difference is that the Africa hawker is treated as a pariah by both client and government. There should be a system of compliance between government and trader such as tax collection and cleanliness. In return the hawker should be made aware of the law. In the end both sides benefit.
Mutebi Mubiru, US

Many of them are thieves or pick-pockets Alexius Noel Mitengo, Malawi

Hawkers or street vendors cause unnecessary commotion in the streets. Many of them are thieves or pick-pockets. They should move away from the streets.
Alexius Noel Mitengo, Mzuzu - Northern Malawi

This is not only Malawi's problem. It's across Africa. The Government has to build a traders' village for poor people to continue their livelihood prior to moving hawkers from the streets.
Yemane, USA

It's very simple, help them by providing an affordable market place where they can deal with their daily activities and then focus on removing those who chose to remain in the street!
Jean-Paul Muana, Mbuji-Mayi, DR Congo

Street hawkers are not tourist attractions, they are poverty stricken people trying to earn money to feed themselves and their families Debbie Henderson, UK

Hold on, their is something critically wrong with the question: "Do you find street hawkers a nuisance or a delight?" Street hawkers are not tourist attractions, they are poverty stricken people trying to earn money to feed themselves and their families. When I was in Africa in November I was inundated by them, and yes they do test your patience but you can see the desperation in their eyes, they just need to sell their wares in order to survive. I would rather buy some beautiful handmade jewellery or deliciously fresh (and organic) fruit and vegetables at virtually and literally cheap prices than be plagued by telephone marketers and double glazed window sellers!!!!
Debbie Henderson, Winchester, UK

In my city, Accra, hawkers had recently seized many principal streets and locations and thus made life very unbearable. In fact, it could take an hour to cover originally a ten minute drive. However, after the Metropolitan authorities charged on them they disappeared and made life easy for a few weeks. Unfortunately, due to interference from the government the hawkers are trickling back.
Dakurah N. Collins, Ghana

I am very happy to hear what the Malawian Authorities are about to do on the 15th of this month. Getting the hawkers off the streets will relieve customers of the stress they go through using the streets. Listen, Ghana took the same step of getting hawkers off the streets and it worked. Now people can go about their normal duties without bumping into hawkers.
Nana Appiah, Accra-Ghana

The only crime hawkers may be guilty of is tax evasion! The government should not interfere with the free market, instead they should continue begging for humanitarian relief abroad if they have nothing else to do. Please don't drag more struggling people into hunger and poverty.
Azan, Gambia

They should be banned completely due to the fact that they are non-taxpayers Ike, USA

Street hawkers are a menace to the society and contribute to the amount of litter and debris on the streets. As far as I am concerned they should be banned completely due to the fact that they are non-taxpayers and an avenue for petty theft.
Ike, Florida, USA

These people make life easy. You can easily get what you want. The other point is that, their goods are cheaper than elsewhere. I know that governments send them away pretending to clean the city but they should think about their way of living. Since Hawkers were thrown out of Kigali, life began to be more expensive. Street markets should remain for those who want to use them and supermarkets for those who are able to afford them.
Hakorimana Lucien, Kigali, Rwanda

Once the informal traders are established in an area, try getting rid of them and politicians will jump at the opportunity to gain some capital. Please keep informal traders in the market places and avoid problems.
Mmabatho, Gaborone, Botswana

Street hawkers are both a delight and a nuisance. A delight in that they bring goods, at a cheaper price to the "common mwananchi (citizen)." on the other hand, they crowd and litter the streets, not to mention the frequent squabbles with the city council, which in many instances has endangered the lives of the citizens.
Olivia Okech, Nairobi, Kenya

Street hawkers are the most disgusting and unbearable traders in my city. They lack the art of trade and may use forceful and arrogant means to execute their trade. I hate them.
Festus, Kampala, Uganda

I consider it outrageous and bizarre to hear the street hawkers of Malawi say they will resist any attempt to evict them from the street. In as much as I appreciate that such street hawkers must earn a living, it must not be earned at the expense of law and order. It is not uncommon to find in Ghana people displaying their wares which include food on the bare floor. Has anyone ever considered the health implication of this actions? Have we also considered time lost in meandering your way through the hectic crowd formed by these street hawkers. Well, someone has got to look at this.
Samuel Owusu, Accra, Ghana

If the African government does not care for the livelihood of their people, then they should let people help themselves.
Toyin, Cairo

To the government it might be nuisance but to the hawkers its their livelihood and they contribute to the economy. Tunde Onibode, Lagos Nigeria

To the government it might be nuisance but to the hawkers its their livelihood and they contribute to the economy. The government should rather provide an attractive for them as forced eviction is taking away their means of livelihood which the government cannot provide and it will lead to increase in Crime
Tunde Onibode, Lagos Nigeria

The big debate should focus on improving street traders and their environment . The informal economic sector plays a vital part in African economics in that goods are distributed even to small communities that would not attract shops as well as being a way of redistributing wealth. Malawi should look at hawkers as an asset that needs developing.
Tshepo, London, England

Yes, they should leave the streets and all other places that are not shops or markets. They almost damaged my car once because they set-up shop in front of my car. The hawker rudely said, "How do you think customers will see my things?" And I wondered whether I had to carry the car with me into the market. Then one said, "If you leave it here, you will have to pay me for watching over your car." And you know, these guys can be unfriendly, and violent too! I had to give up and go. Let them occupy designated places, not streets and car parks.
Yvonne, Hanover, Germany

Hawkers off the streets? No way! Instead governments in Africa should put in place mini, movable markets so that hawkers would not need to move about the streets but would have something mobile where they can move some place, stop and do a bit of trading, and get a source of livelihood. Sending them away is taking food away from their mouths and dropping stones into it.
Victor Owo, Eket, Nigeria

I don't think hawkers should leave the street because they contribute to increasing the flow of money in society. This is good for African economies. People need jobs, people need a source of income and if this is taken care of, all other problems in Africa will eventually be solved.
Ambesi Martin, Dallas, USA

The presence of hawkers in the streets is something really annoying, even though it makes it easier for some to buy food and other items near by their houses. It was big problem for the Kenyan government some time ago because hawkers did not want to be moved outside the city of Nairobi and their presence in streets of Nairobi made it impossible for people to walk along the streets. Yes, hawkers should be removed from the streets of big towns or cities but it will be a big fight for governments to do so.
Peter Tuach, Minnesota, USA

If you send hawkers off the street, who is going to provide for their daily living?
Ramsey Abaessien, Washington DC, USA