Kenyans defend hawkers arrested with plastic bags

Kenyans online are outraged after three hawkers were arrested for using banned plastic bags.

The country's environment agency said the three would be fined up to $40,000 (£32,000) or face a prison sentence of up to four years.

The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) shared a photo of the three vendors clutching plums, passion fruit and sugarcane packed in plastic bags.

Kenyans online have defended the hawkers:

Giitwa Gichuki tweeted, "Though I do not sympathise with anyone using the banned bags, this is too low for you guys. Extremely low, bearing in mind that the unscrupulous dealers responsible for production and supplying the polythene bags in bulk are walking scot-free."

Onyango Ongoya questioned, "Where do you think those guys are gonna get 2-4mn and imprisoning them for 1-4 years will kill their families? You must be very proud of upholding the law by making an example with the small fish."

Samantha wrote, "This is low even for Nema. Nema can't do basic stuff like draft local trash separation and recycling policies for the public or even come up with plastic recycling plants but they can harass poor people lol. I struggle to see the use of Nema."

3 traders were arrested in Nairobi yesterday using banned plastic bags. About 500 pieces of the bags were seized. The trio are being presented in court today. According to Section 144 of EMCA, any person using banned bags is liable to 2-4 million fine or imprisonment of 1-4 years pic.twitter.com/kXUTS571FL

— NEMA Kenya (@NemaKenya) February 18, 2020