Traders at Gitwe market in Ndarugu ward, Gatundu South can now heave a sigh of relief after construction of a new modern market started.
Governor Kimani Wamatangi said the project is a collaboration between the national government and the Kiambu County government.
The county chief who spoke during the project’s groundbreaking ceremony, said the market, that is expected to turnaround the region’s fortunes, will take six months to be completed.
Wamatangi said the facility will accommodate 200 traders and provide them with conducive working environment.
The governor said the facility will have among others a cold storage that will enable them to effectively store their farm produce.
“The market will also host a day-care centre, breastfeeding café, several food courts, an ICT hub among other offices to accommodate youths who will be undertaking online jobs. This project will fuel economic growth within villages in Gatundu South,” Wamatangi said.
He underscored the importance of the project noting that traders have been operating in a derelict place including selling their wares in harsh climatic conditions.
“We are determined to provide our traders with better working conditions because we understand the role they play in the growth of our economy as well as creation of jobs. Currently, we have many similar projects underway across the county geared towards promoting business,” the governor said.
The traders led by Rosemary Njambi, hailed the project as a godsend, adding that it was long overdue since they have been operating under pitiable conditions.
“We have been selling our goods and products under harsh climatic conditions including under scorching sun and the rains. This has seen us suffer losses,” Njambi said.
She also called on local leaders to desist from politicising the project so as not to derail its implementation, arguing that traders are only interested in the development project.
Trader Mbugua Muiruri urged the governor to ensure allocation of stalls to traders will be fair and transparent.
“We want everyone who has been operating in this market to get a slot in the upcoming facility. We will also accommodate new traders in the market so that we can jointly grow our economy,” he said.
The traders also urged the leaders to ensure local youth benefit with job opportunities through the project.
Meanwhile, Gitwe residents called on the county government to deploy extension service officers to help farmers in the area to better their farming for improved production and returns.
They said despite having access to farm inputs, they lack crucial information on better farming practices which is imperative in maximising on their production.
