Ruto allocates Sh1.5 billion for 15 markets in Trans Nzoia

Construction of the Sh181 million Kiminini Modern Market in Trans Nzoia County. The facility will house 500 traders and is due to open in December 2026. [Courtesy]

The government has allocated Sh1.5 billion to build 15 modern markets in Trans Nzoia County, with Kiminini’s Sh181 million facility expected to open in December 2026.

President William Ruto inspected the Kiminini Modern Market during his development tour of the North Rift, where construction had reached 50 per cent completion.

The facility is expected to accommodate 500 traders, providing space for small-scale businesses dealing in vegetables, household goods and other products.

The market programme forms part of a wider Sh17 billion investment in affordable housing, markets and student hostels across Trans Nzoia County.

The Sh1.5 billion allocation covers the 15 markets, while the Sh17 billion figure includes all three categories of projects.

The government says the markets will provide traders, including Mama Mboga, with organised trading spaces and facilities to improve their working conditions.

However, the benefits will depend on the facilities delivered, how the markets are managed and whether traders can afford to occupy the designated spaces.

The government has not provided details of the locations, individual budgets or construction schedules for the other 14 markets.

The number of traders who will eventually occupy the facilities and the cost of operating from the new spaces will also determine the programme’s impact on small businesses.

Ruto’s development engagements in Trans Nzoia also covered road construction and electricity connectivity.

The government plans to spend Sh18 billion to construct 270 kilometres of roads across the county. Two electricity connectivity projects target a combined 10,939 homes.

The road projects are expected to support the movement of goods and customers, while electricity access could enable businesses to operate equipment and offer services that require power.

The immediate test for the market programme will be whether contractors complete the facilities on schedule and the government makes them operational for traders.

Kiminini Modern Market is scheduled for completion in December 2026.