Balendra Shah, the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), is reluctant to allow street vendors to carry on with their businesses as usual. In contrast, the neighboring Lalitpur Metropolitan City has effectively managed street vendors by allocating specific time slots for their business activities. According to a study conducted by the Center for Informal Economy and Hope for Change, Nepal, a staggering 89 percent of street vendors in Kathmandu are currently relying on loans due to the actions taken by the mayor. Surprisingly, the federal parliament has remained silent on this issue.
Pratik Ghimire of ApEx talked with whips of the three largest political parties in the parliament to understand their take on this matter related to the informal economy.
Sushila Thing
Whip, Nepali Congress
Kathmandu Metropolitan City functions as an independent governing body with the authority to carry out its own actions. The central government or federal parliament lacks the power to issue commands to them. This matter falls outside our jurisdiction. Nonetheless, due to its significant impact on numerous individuals, this matter deserves attention within the parliament. Regrettably, no political parties have brought up this concern, and even the Nepali Congress has not addressed it in its internal parliamentary party meetings. But I now intend to present this issue during our upcoming meeting.
Mahesh Bartaula
Whip, CPN-UML
When individuals find themselves caught between government regulations, authorities often resort to exerting their power over them. But this is the case of livelihood. In this scenario, the government has a responsibility to assume the role of a guardian for its citizens, particularly those residing below the poverty line and struggling to earn a living. Kathmandu Metropolitan City must provide viable options for these individuals. The CPN-UML, serving as the main opposition party, represents the interests of the general populace and will raise this issue in parliament.
Rupa Sosi Chaudhary
Whip, CPN (Maoist Center)
The issue hasn’t been brought up in the parliament to date. This matter encompasses two primary aspects. Firstly, if our aim is to create an aesthetically pleasing and technologically advanced city, we must adhere to a well-defined strategy. For that, we can’t allow arbitrary business activities. But, on the other hand, considering that street vendors have been an integral part of our community for a long time, it’s neither feasible nor advisable to abruptly stop them from doing business as usual. We must, instead, offer them proper alternatives. I will urge my party and colleagues to collaborate with local units, including the KMC, to address this issue.
