Chaka traders moved to allow construction of railway station

At least 600 traders at Chaka open-air market have been relocated to pave way for the construction of a station on the Nanyuki–Nairobi railway line.

“The new railway station will boost the area’s economy once complete and create jobs for the local traders,” Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga said on Monday.

The traders will remain at the new site until the Sh1 billion modern market being constructed by the national government is completed.

Kahiga, who spoke when he visited the market centre to inspect the relocation of traders, said the modern market will be completed by June.

The governor said the traders will at the moment be moved to a spacious place to ensure they observe social distancing while trading to contain the spread of Covid-19.

On March 6, President Uhuru Kenyatta visited Nyeri to inspect the progress of the railway and the construction of the Sh1 billion Chaka market.

He assured residents the railway would be revived and used to transport people and farm produce to the market.

“The revival of this railway will ensure that people will be in a position to transport their farm produce to markets in Isiolo, Nanyuki or even in Nairobi and come back home the same day,” Uhuru said.

He said a railway station will be set up in Chaka township in Kieni East subcounty and another in Kiganjo shopping centre in Nyeri town subcounty – about six kilometres apart.

County commissioner Loyford  Kibaara said the railway line will be completed in May, tested in early June and will resume operations in July.

 “There will be luggage trains and two passenger trains that will be operating from Nanyuki to Nairobi. This will give people a chance to transport their horticultural products to the market with ease,” Kibaara said.

Edited by A.N