The Nairobi government is set to commission four markets by the end of the year.
Works at Mwariro, New Wakulima, Westlands and Karindini markets near completion. City Hall’s markets and trading services director Fredrick Ndunyu said traders will occupy the markets before December.
“Construction and rehabilitation of the markets started back in 2018 and city traders should be ready to operate in new and fresh environments," he said yesterday.
The markets have facilities meant to boost public health, security and trade. Ndunyu said they have been categorised as "completely modern".
"Most of these markets are modern, meaning we have factored in everything, including both retail and wholesale requirements," he said.
Besides 500 trading places, the new Mwariro market will have a generator, an underground water tank and a borehole for sufficient water supply.
Also, there are public toilets, adequate parking space and CCTV. The market, situated at Kariokor in Starehe, is a partnership project between the World Bank and the county government.
According to City Hall, only 17 families were affected when construction works started. “Affected persons were 17 and were compensated Sh15,000 each and promised priority for allocation once the project is complete," Ndunyu said.
At least 24 traders who were relocated will be prioritised when the allocation of stalls starts.
Karandini Market, which will host 400 traders, is funded by the World Bank in partnership with the county government. It is located in Dagoretti North.
Renovation of the Westlands market, which will accommodate about 3,000 traders, has been completed. The Sh195.6 million project was started in 2008 but stalled for nine years only to be revived again in 2017-18. The delay has revealed frosty relations between the national government and City Hall.
The New Wakulima market along Kangundo Road will accommodate about 4,000 traders. The Sh800 million project is located in Mowlem, Embakasi West, and is funded by the African Development Bank.
Its construction started in July 2017. It has two floors and will help decongest county markets and increase access to quality, affordable and sustainable food. But even before it is commissioned, some traders are already crying foul after falling prey to fraudsters.
The victims say they have been conned out of their money by people pretending to be county officers. The imposters extort cash from them under the guise of allocating market space.
Such incidents are, however, not new. In October 2018, the county assembly Trade committee raised concerns that residents were being blackmailed into giving money to have market space reserved for them.
But City Hall clarified that no one had been sent to collect money from residents on its behalf. As a result, security was stepped up at the market and only contractors and other permitted individuals were allowed access.
The conmen are perhaps taking advantage of the fact that the county has yet to disclose how it will ballot the space in the four markets.
Edited by F'Orieny
