Kisumu county government will relocate traders whose premises have been by demolished by Kenha.
Deputy governor Mathews Owili yesterday said the structures along Kisumu-Nairobi highway were on a road reserve. Four hundred structures, including residential houses, have been demolished.
“We are working on how to accommodate traders in the newly constructed markets in the county,” Owili said. He spoke on Tuesday when he toured projects initiated by the county government in Awasi.
The demolition will pave way for road expansion. Business people in Ahero, Awasi, Kondele and Nyalenda have been affected.
The traders said the highways authority issued a short notice to relocate. John Opiyo urged the county government to urgently relocate traders.
Owili said modern markets are being built by the national government and will be handed over to the county government.
Duped
Meanwhile, traders have been warned to be wary of conmen purporting to allocate stalls at Awasi market at a fee.
Subcounty deputy county commissioner James Aluodo said many traders have been duped.
The Sh250 million rehabilitated market is funded by the World Bank. “The market has not been officially opened and those swindling the public will be arrested and prosecuted,” Aluodo said.
He urged the DCI to arrest culprits. “The crime department should be vigilant. They should take speedy action to save the public from fraudsters,” Owili said.
Aluodo said the stalls will be allocated on merit once the market is officially opened and handed over to the county government.
He said the government is finalising all procedures before the stalls are allocated to the traders. “Plans are under way to open the new facility and we are asking traders to be patient,” Aluodo added.