The government is set to start construction of an ultra-modern market in Eldoret Town to the turn of Ksh6 billion.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Zachary Mwangi announced that the multi-storey market funded by the National Government will be put up in the Central Business District at an estimated cost of Sh6 billion.
He told residents during a visit at the proposed site that the construction of the project may commence in a months’ time.
“We are going to fast track the exercise and I urge those responsible for this project to move with speed so that by the end of January or early February 2023 we invite the President to launch it,” said the CS.
Mwangi added that the ministry will advertise tenders for the construction of the market to ensure that more traders were accommodated at the premises.
Governor Jonathan Bii expressed optimism that the establishment of the market will provide a solution to the overcrowding of traders that has kept the current market facilities under pressure.
“The new market will have installations for cooling and packaging to enable value addition on fresh vegetables and fruits, two levels of underground parking and five storeys that will accommodate different businesses,” he said.
“As a County, we are more than ready to have such an initiative that will be advantageous to our residents; we are grateful to the government and in particular to the president for honouring our request to develop a new market,” he said.
The project comes after the town witnessed conflicts between traders and the county officials that has sparked ugly confrontation as hawkers forcefully jostled for little spaces for their business.
By Judy Too
