Photo: Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

Maasai Market, Nairobi (file photo): Local traders have petitioned the government to bar Chinese traders from running small businesses.

Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende yesterday ordered Trade minister Moses Wetangula to issue a statement on hawking by Chinese traders. The directive follows a request by Dujis MP Aden Duale for a statement from the minister to explain the influx of Chinese engaging in small scale business in the country.

He said the minister should also explain what policies have been put in place to protect local small scale traders including hawkers. On Tuesday, the Star reported that police are investigating the source of leaflets threatening Chinese traders in the city.Chinese businessmen held a crisis meeting at the Nairobi embassy after the leaflets were left outside their business premises over the weekend.

The leaflets said Kenyans were tired of the Chinese traders, who have allegedly taken over hawking jobs from locals. The unnamed authors warned that they will stage the "mother of all demonstrations" in the city to push the Chinese hawkers out. They warned that anyone buying goods from them will disappear together with the Chinese trader. The leaflets were strewn mainly in downtown Nairobi including River Road.