Nairobi Hawkers Arrested with Banned Plastic Bags, Face Sh4 Million Fine
Officers from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) arrested three hawkers in Nairobi after they were found in possession of banned plastic bags.
The three traders were arrested on Monday in an operation that saw officers seized more than 500 pieces of banned polythene bags.
In a statement posted on Twitter, NEMA said the suspects were found using the plastic bags to package their goods and will be arraigned in court on Tuesday to face charges.
Section 144 of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act states that any person found culpable of using banned plastic bags is liable to a fine of between Sh2 million and Sh4 million or imprisonment of one to four years.
But a section of Kenyans on social media have criticized Nema’s decision to arrest and charge the hawkers, accusing the agency of targeting the small fish while ignoring the manufacturers or importers of these bags. A majority of online users said Nema should go after those distributing the bags to small traders.
Kenya banned the use of plastic bags in 2017 to help protect the environment by reducing the amount of plastic waste. Some manufacturers challenged the ban but the court upheld it.
Plastic bags used for industrial primary packaging and waste liners for hazardous waste, including medical waste and chemicals and regular waste garbage bin liners were exempted from the ban.
Comments
C'mmon let's be realistic! 4…
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C'mmon let's be realistic! 4 million shillings? For just PLASTIC bags? Is this like the next capital punishment in Kenya now? Why is it that the guy at the bottom gets the full wrath of your law system while the guys at the top get a free ride again and again no matter what they do. Is the system rotten?
Ridiculous fine
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Ridiculous fine
yes yes yes ... they should…
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yes yes yes ... they should be jailed for 10000 years with hard labor ... mambo sana ni huduma namba, fighting Ruto and BBI Nonsense ... WAJINGA SISI
Give this hawker's jobs,…
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Give this hawker's jobs, they are just trying to survive. The govt want to discuss bbi for what? yet they people are suffering, no jobs, insecurity, no health care poor economy. This big 4 agenda and handshake nonsense needs to come to an end. So what is better go die in the arab countries or try be a hawker in kenya to feed your family. We complain that the Chinese guy was wrong to cane a grown man for being late to work but i bet that man would rather be canned and at the end of it feed his family since the govt will not. Sad that we our leaders call themselves christian or God fearing country and yet do not care or say anything when the people are suffering.
In that case lets encourage…
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In that case lets encourage youth to focus on economic crimes since they would have a chance of getting freed within a short time anyway
Rashid Echesa steals 39…
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Rashid Echesa steals 39 billion shillings from the republic of Kenya and is freed on 1 million shillings bail, but a hawker trying to make a living is fined 4 million shillings. Makes total and complete sense. smh!
go after the big fish! where…
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go after the big fish! where are the bags coming from? the system always designed to punish the poor people while rich and famous gets a pass! shame
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