Street vendors in Okongo in the Ohangwena Region are expecting improved business funding criteria to benefit small businesses after the elections.

They told nbc News that whoever is going to emerge victorious from the upcoming elections should consider street vendors as the catalyst in driving the economy, who should have funding available.

Most street vendors in Okongo said they are the source of income for their households, bringing food to their families and paying school fees for their children. 

They said their informal trading has strong linkages to the formal economy as the goods they sell are from formal retailers.

Despite their contributions, street vendors said they face many challenges and are often overlooked, as economic agents, and unlike other businesses, are often hurt rather than helped by local authorities and government policies and practices.
 
They said that they also want to get financial assistance and startup capital from the government and other financial institutions, like other businesses.