• The event will be presided over by Regional Commissioner Magu Mutindika and Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.
•The market has a capacity to accommodate approximately 10,000 businesses.
The multi-million ultra-modern Uhuru Business Park Market Complex in Kisumu is set to be officially opened on Wednesday.
The Sh600 million project was being implemented by the national government.
The event will be presided over by the Regional Commissioner Magu Mutindika and Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.
The market has a capacity to accommodate approximately 10,000 businesses.
The project started way back in 2019 with the aim of accommodating traders who were evicted to pave way for the modernisation and rehabilitation of the Sh3 billion Kisumu port.
The Kenya Railways and the county government jointly gave the national government acres of land for the construction of the market.
According to public notice by City Manager Abala Wanga, the business park shall be opened to successfully balloted traders.
Wanga noted that this will be for traders who possess genuine ballots upon verification by the market management team for settlement.
Last year, there was a standoff between Kisumu county and the national government over the balloting of the market.
However, the matter was later resolved.
The project is touted to be one of the major fruits of the Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
In October 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta inspected the ongoing construction of the business complex.
In 2019, Kenya Railways MD Philip Mainga handed over the land title deed to Nyanza regional commissioner James Kianda on the site.
Transport Principal Secretary Esther Koimett and her Fisheries counterpart, Ntiba Micheni said during the ceremony that the government will support the traders.
Koimett said they want to ensure that the small scale traders have a conducive environment to contribute to President Uhuru’s Big Four agenda.
“The president has given infrastructural development on Lake Victoria a priority following the revitalisation of Kisumu inland port, the construction of the oil jetty and rail network to enhance transport in the East African Community region,” she said.
Koimett said Kisumu is a strategic town within the EAC region and the revival of lake transport will enhance trade in the area.
Small scale traders were rendered jobless after Kenya Railway demolished their structures constructed on Kenya Railways' land.
They have been pushing both the national and county governments to resettle them.
Kianda noted that the traders will be involved in the plan of the construction to ensure all sectors are accommodated.
“The market will have several components, including stalls, eateries and garages with a provision for transport services,” he said.