What is the population and settees of a Vendor City? These are two questions we asked vendors on our survey. Vendors are highly visible workers in most cities. Estimating their numbers is difficult. But thanks to the WIEGO Statistics Programme, we now have data on street vendors and market traders. The first part of our WIEGO Statistical Briefs covers market traders and street vendors.
The authors of this policy brief identify clusters of households that buy from vendors. The statistically significant cluster consists of 17 households southwest of the city's geographic center. These households consist of 6.1 members, and their dependency ratio is 1.27. In contrast, out-of-cluster households have 5.43 members, and their dependency ratio is 0.96. Thus, it is important to consider the social dynamics of the urban environment and street vendors.
In a Vendor City, vendors use 21 particular suppliers. These vendors are located in the same area, and a line extending to the south goes to the main market. Likewise, a line extending south from the map goes to the Soweto Market in Lusaka. The data collection process took approximately 3 weeks, and Mumbwa council members confirmed the boundaries of the city before the study started.
The city of Denver is currently debating a permit program for street vendors. The Bureau of Street Services has suggested increasing fines for violating rules, and hiring more administrative staff to monitor street vendors. Despite the proposed legalization, street vendors still face a range of opposition from various actors. Despite the widespread opposition, business improvement districts have enough political capital to hire private security to keep street vendors safe.