Kakamega fresh market at Masingo area in Kakamega town is set to start operations soon.
The acting County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives, Mophat Mandela, says the County is considering three models from which one model would be picked after stakeholder engagements to run the facility.
Speaking to Kenya News Agency (KNA), Mandela said the County is considering running the facility as a county, leasing it out to an organized group of fish farmers or running it under a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP).
Fish mongers operating outside the market have raised concerns that since its inauguration by the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Hassan Joho last January, the facility has remained dormant.
Fish mongers, who feared to speak to KNA for fear of victimization were still displaying fish in the open market.
But the CECM downplayed their concerns, saying plans were underway to operationalize the market.
“The Department is engaging with stakeholders to ensure the best suited model is picked so that we get it right. We have been having meetings with fish mongers, fish farmers and other stakeholders and have already prepared a paper to be presented to the county cabinet before a final decision is taken,” he added.
Kakamega County is among 15 counties the National Government in conjunction with Aquaculture Business Development Programme(ABDP) has allocated a total of Sh128 million worth of grants to fish farmers under phase one.
The grants are geared towards benefiting Smallholder Aquaculture Groups (SAGs) that include both women and youth groups, Aquaculture Support Enterprises (ASEs) and Aquaculture Field Schools (AFSs).
While launching the project that cost Sh10 million early this year, Joho issued grants worth Sh18 million to benefit 2,944 fish farmers in Kakamega County.
The CEC said the facility would be used as an aggregation hub for farmers, help in fish preservation, streamline markets as well as improve healthy eating habits.
“The county has, with support from ABDP invested heavily in fish farming through provision of fingerlings, fish feeds and construction of fish ponds,” said Mandela.
By George Kaiga and Albert Muteshi
