IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 23, Issue 7, Ver. 8 (July. 2018) PP 78-89 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0837-2307087889 www.iosrjournals.org 78 | Page The Challenge of Integrating Street Trade in the Urban Development Plan and Policies: Kakamega Town, Kenya Ngome P. 1 and Mulinya C. 1 Masindemuliro University Of Science And TechnologyDepartment Of Geography Corresponding Author: Ngome P.1and Mulinya C. ABSTRACT: Kakamega town has witnessed unprecedented growth in population which has contributed to increased trading activities on the streets. Public spaces cannot cope with demand as the open market tradersoperate their businesses out of the designated areas. The effect of increased number of street traders is felt by the congestion on streets and bus stages and thedeteriorating hygienic conditions. Very little success has been achieved in attempt to seek solutions to the street trade challenge in Kakamega town. This study purposed to investigate the challenge of integrating street trade into the urban plan of Kakamega town. The study adopted the Legalists theory that mainly view the challenge presented by street trade in terms of bureaucratic obstacles created by authorities and lack of enforceable laws and policies. Based on this theory, the main objective of the study was to examine the challenges of integrating street trade in the town’s development plans and policies. The research study used both probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling techniques.A sample ofstreet traders,customers, fixed shop operators, official market traders, street traders’associations’ officials andCounty Government of Kakamega (CGK) officialswere used for the study as respondents. Stratified sampling, purposivesampling, triangulation technique of research involving interviews and questionnaires, photograph taking and observation methods were used to collect data. The data collectedwas analyzed by use of Predictive Analytical Software (PAS) and descriptive statistics.From the study, the findings showed that the street traders in Kakamega town operated out of designated areas because of stiff competition for customers, lack of comprehensive town strategic plan for space use, the County government’s inability to provide the necessary infrastructure,inadequacies in town laws and policies andlimited support the growth of these businesses.The research revealed that in order to solve the challenge of street trading activities in town, there was need to establish realistic urban development plan and policies, enforceable laws, sustainable interventions enhanced town management capacities and collaboration among all stakeholders so as to succeed in providing for these traders in the urban setting. Keywords: Street trade, urban development plans, policies, urban public spaces --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 12-07-2018 Date of acceptance: 28-07-2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION The world population living in towns continues to grow fast and itis estimated that by 2050, about 70 percent of the world population will be living in towns (UN – Habitat, 2009). Rapid and unsustainable urbanization is accompanied by a rise in unemployment in most towns (Onyango, 2012). This phenomenon is caused by rapid population growth and stagnant agricultural sector productivityin the rural areasin Less Developed Countries, technological changes and restructuring global economic realities. Many people are migratingfrom the countrysideto the towns and cities with the hope of securing decently paying employment and search for the business opportunities. Therising population in these towns has surpassed the job opportunities and has resulted in unemployment hence causing poverty among the urban population (Nabuteya, 2007). When they fail to secure the jobs in the formal sector, they end up in informal sector, which street trading is part of, to earn a living (Onyango, 2012). According to Ndhlovu (2011), street trade is a common phenomenon in most cities and towns in developingcountries all over the world. This studyadoptedthe definition of street trade by Molefe(2011) as one which deals in legal merchandize, operates on urban public or private spaces within towns and is not directly under regulatory framework of the local municipal authority. Street trade be taken to include vending or hawking on the street, those activities of selling and providing services from temporary structures and open spaces. In many countries towns and cities, street trade is a highly visible part of informal sector and many governments have acknowledged its existence (Chen 2012; Sonah 2014).However, the cities and towns authorities have taken different approaches in dealing with this sector.In cities like London and New York, street