The national government, through the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP), is constructing three ultra-modern markets in Kericho County at a cost of Sh162,008,155,00 million.
The three markets, namely Chesinende in Kipkelion East, Kapkatet in Bureti Sub County, and Sosiot in Belgut Sub County, are up-and-running and ongoing and at various stages of completion, the Kericho County Commissioner (CC), Mr. Gilbert Kitiyo, has disclosed.
Kitiyo, speaking to KNA in his office on the status of national government projects and ESP-funded programmes in Kericho County, said that the construction of the fourth market at Fort Tenant-Lelu in Kipkelion West will soon kick off.
The CC said that the six-month market projects that started on 26th April 2024 are expected to be completed by 26th October 2024.
“Once the one storey ESP markets are complete, they would contain modern cold storage facilities or stores, mothers breastfeeding rooms, several market stalls, and modern washrooms for men and ladies. The facilities are built with disability access walkways into the market and upstairs,” Kitiyo said.
The CC said that construction has provided jobs to the youth and women directly, with each ESP market employing about 150 people in a given day and hundreds of other individuals, mostly the women, getting indirect employment at the sites.
The construction of the markets is being undertaken by the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Lands, Public Works, and Urban Development, while the contractor for the markets is Resjos Enterprises Limited.
The CC said that once the markets are commissioned for public use, all market vendors, merchants, and market goers are expected to move inside the modern markets. He added that the market vendors and merchants should move out of the highway sides and carry their trade inside the markets.
Kitiyo observed that trading along the highways at Kapkatet, Kapkelek, Chepseon, and Londiani, among other centres, will be discouraged as the new markets and other sites will be developed to cater for the users.
By Dominic Cheres
