Millions going to waste as markets under ESP remains unoccupied

Kamakwa Trading Center Market in Nyeri County. [Kibata Kihu/Standard]

The imposing structures are meticulously finished, but they stand empty. Dust and weeds threaten to overrun the compounds.

The vacant structures dotting most counties of central Kenya were supposed to be markets. Despite being completed and sporting modern utilities, they have remained unused for many reasons.

Their construction gobbled millions of shillings, but this does not impress their intended beneficiaries - small-scale traders who would rather fight for space in congested market centres.

Most of the markets were built under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).

There are questions whether any consultation or feasibility studies were carried out before the construction of the markets. Most traders argue that some of the facilities were built in inaccessible areas.

From Nyeri to Tharaka Nithi, Kiambu and Laikipia counties, the money spent on the markets appears to have gone down the drain, with the structures now slowly turning into white elephants.

In Nyeri, the Othaya and Kamakwa markets - built under ESP - remain deserted several years after their completion.

The Standard found that the traders who were initially meant to get stalls in the two facilities have instead decided to do business in makeshift structures outside the projects.

With a capacity to accommodate between 500 and 600 traders, Kamakwa market - located in the outskirt of Nyeri town - was handed over to the county government in 2016. The then governor, Nderitu Gachagua - now deceased, had said only genuine traders would be allocated stalls.  

The markets have water, electricity and other social amenities and were supposed to boost the local economies.

Some traders said they did not know why they had not yet been allocated spaces in the market as the county administration had been silent on the matter.

Transacts business

Mathia King’ori, a trader at Kamakwa, said he did not understand why he was still operating on the roadside, yet the market was handled over to the county government two years ago.

“We have yet to comprehend what the devolved unit wants to do. We are ready to move in but some people are not. They want to continue doing business in makeshift structures erected on the road side,”Mr King’ori explained.

His sentiments were echoed by Teresia Muhoro from Othaya who said the traders had yet to hear from the county government.

But the trade, tourism and co-operative development executive Diana Kendi claimed that the traders had refused to move into the markets.

In Tharaka Nithi, two markets meant for horticultural goods in Maara constituency are also lying idle.

Under the ESP, Maara got two such markets - one at Kajiunduthi and the other one at Kairuni.

Each market cost Sh10 million to construct. Traders in Kairuni said the market was inaccessible.

In Laikipia, where two markets were constructed under the ESP, the situation is no different.

One market was built in Nanyuki and another one in Marmanet ward in Laikipia West. Traders have snubbed them because of their location and size.

Two markets

Traders complained that the one in Marmanet could not accommodate them all while the Nanyuki one was built in the community social hall’s precincts and hence was inaccessible to buyers.

 But the trade chief officer, Jemimah Mburugu, said a fence had been put up to separate it from the hall. She added that it had been expanded to attract more traders.