The government will spend Sh700 million to put up a modern market and bus park at Old Fire station in Bondeni Estate in Nakuru with the aim of decongesting the Central Business District and boosting agricultural production in the region.
According to Nakuru Municipal Board Manager Gitau Thabanja , construction works at the five storey complex was 70 percent complete and upon completion, the market was expected to handle at least 150 tonnes of fresh vegetables, and would complement Nakuru Top and Wakulima markets which are located within the Central Business District, a kilometer away.
The manager added that the government had also kicked off construction of an additional market at London trading center, within Nakuru West Sub-County at a cost of Sh47 million to further decongest the city.
Thabanja while on an inspection tour of the construction works said the market facility will be fitted with sections to cater for textiles, cereals and jua kali sheds which he said would serve at least 100,000 residents, 6,500 of them being farmers from surrounding areas.
He added that the Sh600 million worth market which will be the largest in the County will also serve as a wholesale source for bananas, mangoes, avocadoes, potatoes, passion fruits, water melons, Sukuma wiki and cabbages which are produced in the agricultural rich Sub-Counties of the County.
He explained that Phase two of the project will involve putting up a Sh100 million worth modern bus terminus and parking lot for private vehicles.
“We decommissioned the Old Fire Station and its adjoining County slaughter house to create space for the modern market and bus terminus,” said Thabanja.
While appreciating the progress made on the project, Thabanja stated that construction of the market is set to provide a favorable environment and create enough selling space for more than 3,000 traders set to benefit from the project.
Once complete, he affirmed that a joint committee will be set up to come up with a list of traders who will be allocated spaces as well as establish the mechanism by which traders will be selected and how the market will be operated.
The Municipal Manager noted that the two markets under construction were strategically located near Rongai, Bahati, Njoro, Molo and Subukia Sub-Counties which were major producers of vegetables, fruits, cereals, poultry products, meat and milk.
He said the devolved unit was constructing similar markets in other Sub-Counties to boost earnings for rural populations by minimizing exploitation by brokers adding that the new Sh10 million worth market at Subukia trading center was already operational.
The market, which handles on average 40 tonnes of fresh vegetables, will complement the Kabazi Market which is eight kilometers away and about 22 kilometers from Nyahururu Town in Laikipia County which is a major source of farm produce that is consumed in Subukia Sub-County.
In 2008, the then coalition government under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) mooted the idea to upgrade the market, a key economic lifeline of Subukia town and its environs. However the rehabilitation project was dogged by endless controversies that led to its stalling. Its rehabilitation was meant to be a key achievement of the late former President Mwai Kibaki.
By Esther Mwangi and Agatha Agutu
