Abstract:
Street vending activity varies across countries and is a common phenomenon in urban areas
worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the causes and consequences of street vending
activities specifically in Chelenko town. A descriptive research design was employed, and
purposive sampling was used to select participants and site of the study. Data collection
instruments included questionnaires, key informant interviews, personal observation, and
focus group discussions. A sample population of 114 street vendors participated by completing
the questionnaires. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were born outside
of Chelenko and engaged in street vending due to unemployment and poverty, as it offered an
easily accessible and simple means of income generation to address their livelihood
challenges. Street vendors sourced their commodities from local wholesale markets,
manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and agents, depending on the type of products they
sold. Street vending had both positive and negative impacts. Positive impacts included
reducing urban unemployment rates, providing affordable goods for the urban poor,and
offering more accessible alternatives than formal shops.Negative consequences included
traffic congestion, competition for customers leading to theft, hindrance to pedestrian
movement, and reduced government revenue due to lack of taxation. Based on the identified
problems, the forwarded recommendations include: the government should prioritize
environmental concerns, such as cleanliness, individual and group trading spaces, training in
solid waste management, and the establishment of fair and organized marketplaces with
designated waste collection systems. Policy measures should focus on formalizing and
legalizing street vendors based on compliance with laws and regulations, restricting their
presence on certain streets, and determining working hours. Inclusive policies should be
developed strategically and systematically. Further research should be conducted to formalize
the sector and develop strategies to mitigate the adverse impacts of street vending in urban
areas.
