High Cost of living in towns and cities has forced many people into the informal sector to help sustain their day to day living.
The situation is putting a major burden on the people especially for the people making a living in the informal sector.
Mr. Simon Thomas a betel nut vendor at the Gordons Industrial area details how much of a struggle it is for simple street vendors.
He stated that many of them left their village and have fled to the city because of tribal killings, they become refuge in the city and one can only survive through the informal sector because unemployment is high, and most youths and mothers are not skilled.
He further explained that it is a struggle when they get chased around, beaten and their market items destroyed by the police and city authorities.
Simon stated that when their market is destroyed, it’s another burden on top of the high cost of living, because they had to make the hard decision on how much left is to go to new purchase of supply and how much is to go towards food.
But often, hunger is sacrificed in order to buy new supplies to continue their business because there are kids, mothers’ and other members of the family who depend on that small market.
“Government need to do something about the rate of unemployment and government also need to set regulations that protects the informal sector too because inflation is killing everyone, both the unemployed and the employed.”