“I have been hawking for 4 years and I have had 8 court cases. I have been charged with “hawking”, “dumping” and even with “assault”. I am very small physically; I can’t even fight.  I have won two cases, but l has also had to pay fines of over KSh48,000 ($480). It’s not all city council officers who are bad. Sometimes, fellow hawkers bribe Askaris to have other traders arrested because of business competition. Other times, they will take your wares and you never get them back. Once you’re taken to court, you must pay KSh10,000 (US$100). That’s just the court fine. Sometimes you have sold nothing, but you must have money just in case.”