Kenyans are filled with sympathy for a physically disabled woman in confrontation with city askaris after they impounded her wares and pushed her off her chair.
This video comes shortly after last weeks chaotic scenes in the CBD with mayai smokie vendors engaged in a clash with askaris.
The woman in the video falls off the chair and pleads to be left alone. It happened on Oct 3, but went viral on Oct 20.
The details about the woman are now emerging after Eric Omondi searched for her and she also spoke up in an interview with Mungai Eve.
The disabled woman's name is Mary Consolata Achieng Otieno.
She is a single mother of five children and lives in a single room with them. Three are her biological children, the other two are adopted.
Her husband left her to remarry
"I was married but my husband left me with the children akaenda, akaoa na mimi nikaendelea na maisha na watoto wangu hawking"
She told Mungai eve that
"I was ten years with Polio, when I was taken to APDK and given therapy and given metals, and taken to school"
She has faced hardship ever since. She has been a hawker for over 20 years
"It has been very hard hawking with city council, they come and grab our stuff, then friends come together and contribute, every time. This is what I educate my children with, that is how I have lived my life"
She would rather hawk than beg
"I have never wanted to beg, I prefer to work hiyo shiling mtu anakuptupoia huujui anakutupia na roho gani, hiyo shilingi nilikataa"
She hawks beauty items.
"It happened saa saba mchana with an askari I know. I know all of them, I can name them. He first came and reminded me that I need to part with hongo to stay where I was.
I refused,I asked him how much he wanted and he said sh500. I told him I won't part with a bribe, then he returned with another man and they threw me off my chair.
They started impounding my wares."
She reported the matter to the Director of the council, a Mr Omondi who resolved the matter.
"He called them to confirm and they agreed, and they told him the problem, "ati yeye ana jua vile hafanyangi"
This happens alot "wanaiba inakaa hivo,I sell shower caps, hairband, hizi vitu za beauty"
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