State to rebuild Sh200m Githurai 45 market

The government has set aside Sh200 million to reconstruct Githurai 45 market, Ruiru MP Simon King’ara has said.

More than 6,000 traders have been suffering since August last year when their stalls were demolished by Kenha and the Kiambu government.

MP King'ara, who spoke in Ruiru town on Monday, said construction will start soon. He said the government will put up a modern market for more than 6,000 traders.

“The money has been factored into the budget and the construction of the state-of-art market will commence soon,” King’ara said.

The MP said the market will reduce unemployment and curb crimes, which has been on the rise.

“We know when the market was demolished most young people who depended on it turned to petty crime, drugs and sale of illicit alcohol,” he said.

Last month, Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu said the county government had set aside Sh500 million to construct the market.

He said money was allocated money in the county’s 2019-20 budget.

Waititu spoke while inspecting the construction of Bibirini Level 4 Hospital in Kiambu.

“I know the market is the reason most Githurai residents are angry with me. But I was waiting for the funds and the money has been factored into this year’s budget. In a few weeks, we will commission construction,” Waititu said. 

The governor said his administration had nothing to do with the demolitions that rendered hundreds of traders, especially youth, jobless last year. He blamed Kenha.

Traders have accused Waititu of failing to fulfil his campaign promise to construct a modern market.

(Edited by V. Graham)