A number of street vendors in the capital of eastern Nangarhar province complain of what they say not only the municipality does not specify a place but also not let them do business.
They said the vendors who are allowed to do business in their favorite areas paid bribe.
Syed Agha, a vendor who sells dates, says most of the days he is denied to do his small business and had to return home with empty hands.
“The municipality employees come and remove us from the street on daily basis, this situation force me to think about joining the militants,” he explained.
Speen Ghar, another vendor sells antique goods in Mukhaberat square, complains that officers of municipality remove them from their places.
He requested municipality not to create problems for them and let them do their business.
Another vendor, who wished to go unnamed, claims that they wanted to pay bribe to municipality officers in order to let them on streets but they did not have that much money to do so.
He worried that the municipality had plan to bring other vendors who paid bribe and remove those that did not pay bribe.
Wali Khan, a resident of the 5th police district, says the presence of vendors resulted in rush and congestion. He said the officials concerned should specify a separate place for vendors.
Syed Humayoon Gharibmal, spokesman for Nangarhar municipality, said efforts were underway to arrange the vendors as they occupied the streets and it was against the municipality law.
However, he did not reject that their employees get bribe from vendors but said if anyone had evidence in this regard they should refer it to them.
All Afghanistan Federation of Trade Union (AAFTU) chief Dr. Mohammad Liaqat Adil, told Pajhwok Afghan News it was not fair the vendors be allowed on roads.
He said that it was also not just when vendors are barred from their activities and the municipality does not specify a place for them.
