Traders at Kagio market centre in Kirinyaga Central Sub County will benefit from planned expansion and modernization of the market at the centre.
Kagio is one of the busiest towns in Kirinyaga county bordering three constituencies within the county, including Mwea, Ndia and Kirinyaga Central.
The government, through the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, is expected to construct an economic stimulus package (ESP) market at a cost of approximately Sh310 million after the President laid the foundation stone for the project on Wednesday.
The market will accommodate an additional 750 traders and feature an ICT hub to empower young people.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru said once completed, Kagio market would accommodate about 1,000 traders, providing ample, hygienic and well-organized safe spaces for trading.
“Kagio market is a source of livelihood to over 2,000 traders who converge to sell assorted goods and produce as well as about 5,000 traders who come to buy produce for sale within the county and in markets in other counties including Nairobi and Mombasa,” Waiguru said.
The market mainly deals with retail and wholesale of fresh farm produce such as tomatoes, vegetables, bananas, maize potatoes and avocado among others, generating huge revenue and therefore playing a vital role in the local economy.
Governor Waiguru asked the traders to support construction of the market as it would provide a more expanded and conducive environment for business.
“The new facility will be a spacious two-storey facility that will accommodate the market area, a community hall, ICT hub, cold storage facilities, offices, a food court, an eco-toilet, water harvesting and storage facilities, revenue collection points, garbage management facilities and a crèche for use by mothers with babies,” the governor added.
Waiguru said her administration remains committed to providing conducive and modern infrastructure that support farmers to aggregate their produce and traders to do business.
“So far, we have constructed 18 markets including Kagio cereals, Kagio clothes, Kutus, Kagumo, Kerugoya, Kianyaga, Kiamutugu, Sagana, Makutano, Wang’uru, Kibingoti, Makutano, Githure, Gathoge, Karumandi, Togonye and Riakiania,” she noted.
The governor said that the county is working in collaboration with the National Government to upgrade other markets including Kibingoti, Kimbimbi and Mukarara while Kianyaga, Kutus, Mukinduri, Kagumo, Kiumbu and Wamumu.
The President directed the ministry concerned in upgrading the market to ensure that the neighbourhood gets access to piped water as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility.
By Mutai Kipngetich
