First Avenue plunged into darkness as streetlights malfunction for 10 days

In Eastleigh, Nairobi, a section of First Avenue (Yusuf Haji Road), bustling with business activities during evenings, now stands engulfed in darkness, spelling trouble for the hawkers who rely on evening trade. For over ten days, the street lights along this stretch have failed to shine, leaving vendors in a dire situation.

Speaking to Eastleigh Voice on Tuesday night, aggrieved hawkers voiced their frustration, pointing fingers at the City Hall for what they perceive as neglect. Fartun Siyad, a 37-year-old mother selling ladies' clothing around Bankok Mall, shared her dismay. "I do not sell like before. Customers do not see these beautiful clothes I'm selling," she lamented, highlighting the drastic impact on her sales due to the lack of visibility.

Fartuun's sentiments were echoed by Feisal Ahmed, a youthful cosmetics vendor around Amal Plaza, who expressed concern over the dwindling attention towards his products in the prevailing darkness. "Who can notice these products in this darkness?" he questioned, emphasizing the urgent need for repairs on the street lights.

Yusuf Haji Road, formerly known as First Avenue, constitutes a significant business hub within Eastleigh, housing more than half of the 88 malls in the area. The absence of adequate lighting not only affects the livelihoods of hawkers but also leaves customers disheartened. Asha Ali, a shopper who buys from these hawkers, expressed her worry about purchasing substandard goods due to the obscured visibility. "I came to buy shoes; my worry is I might end up buying substandard ones," she voiced her apprehension.

Beyond the economic toll, concerns about security have surfaced among both vendors and shoppers, fearing the potential exploitation of darkness by opportunistic criminals. Eastleigh Voice attempted to reach out to the county lights engineer for a statement, but all attempts to contact them proved futile as phone calls went unanswered.

The calls for prompt action resonate through this section of Yusuf Haji Road, with both the hawkers and shoppers looking to the Nairobi County Government, to address the pressing issue of dysfunctional street lights.