Kisumu traders warm up to Sh15 million market

New market under construction in Kisumu (Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

The Kenya Power has now relocated the electricity lines that delayed the opening of the new Sh15 million traders market stalls behind Nairobi University, Kisumu Campus.

The Power Company warned that the stalls were built beneath the power lines without taking into considerations the dangers it posed to the traders.

On Monday, the Standard learnt that the relocation has cost Sh1.6 million and now paves way for the city authorities to allow traders into the new stalls.
Earlier plans to move the traders hit a snag after the power service provider raised an alarm over fears of possible danger if the traders were moved in with lines a top.
Spot checks by the Standard team to the sites revealed the lines have been relocated off the danger areas. Over 1,000 were displaced.
City Engineer Kevin Ajul confirmed the move.
Last night the city askaris under the command of manager Doris Ombara demolished illegal structures on Jomo-Kenyatta high way at dawn.
Traders operating businesses in the area some of them who had built makeshift matt structures woke up to find the place cleared of the structures.
''We woke up in the morning only to find nowhere to hang our clothes or shoes for sale. The askaris have demolished all the structures here,'' said a trader John Omollo.
But even as the demolition was carried, the traders looked forward to new space allocation at the new stalls likely to accommodate about 600 of them displaced in CBD.
''We want the authorities to resettle all of us without causing chaos,'' said a trader Mary Otieno who also lost her stall in the last night demolitions.
Ombara and Ajul said they were currently enumerating the traders displaced within the CBD who will be given priority while allocating space.
''We are only waiting for the Corona Pandemic to subside before we move the traders there. Currently, we have fitted with stalls with necessary aeration,'' said Ajul
The planned relocation of traders displaced from the CBD to the new Sh15 million market stalls in Kisumu has delayed for six months.