The 8.5-acre Kipchoge Keino Stadium land within Kapsabet town in Nandi County will be used to construct the National Government-funded Kapsabet modern market as part of the ambitious plan to decongest the town.
Members of the Nandi County Assembly unanimously passed the bill, which allowed the conversion of the land use from the Kipchoge Keino stadium into a modern market.
The current 2-acre land that the traders occupy within Kapsabet town was approved by the County Assembly for the expansion of a modern car park, according to Nandi Deputy Governor Dr. Yulita Mitei.
“We want to thank the traders who have accepted to move out of the previous site in town because the place has been approved to extend our parking site,” Deputy Governor Mitei said during the proposed Modern Market land site handover to the contractor.
Mitei thanked the Matatu drivers and owners for accepting to move out of the roads to the newly proposed parking site within the town.
The DG revealed that the process of changing the land use from Kipchoge Keino Stadium to a modern market was legally followed, where open public participation with opinions from local leaders was carefully examined.
“We anticipated that there would be a conversation, and that has happened. The traders and the entire business community in this town were engaged, and they gave their memorandum; the leadership of this place, including opinion leaders, were engaged,” DG Mitei assured.
She insisted that a careful decision was reached to build one of the modern markets in the region within Kapsabet town, which would later on attain city status.
Mitei further challenged the young generation in Nandi County to take up affordable housing units and stop subdividing land which would have been used for agricultural use.
“We are asking young people in this county to consider taking up affordable housing units that are ready and those that are coming up because we want to ask them to stop subdividing our parcels of land,” she advised.
Emgwen Member of Parliament Josses Lelmengit, who was present during the launch of the proposed construction of the Kapsabet Modern Market site handover, revealed that the two-storey market would accommodate close to 1,500 traders, and it would be one of its kind.
The MP said that the County Government would decide on how to allocate space to the traders once the construction is complete.
He said the construction was expected to take 18 months, but the contractor assured he would deliver complete work within a period of nine months.
“Construction is supposed to take 18 months, but based on experience we have requested the contractor to complete the work within a period of nine months,” he said.
The MP assured the residents that close to 200 labourers needed during construction would be sourced from within, and the materials would be locally available.
Lelmengit thanked his constituents, Nandi County Government leadership, traders, and public opinion players for embracing the modern market, which would come with many other benefits.
He said the project would cost Sh420 million and that it would be a leading market in the region.
Nandi Central Deputy County Commissioner Alfet Jilo expressed her joy that the market would have a breastfeeding wing for mothers.
She promised maximum security would be provided during and after the construction of the market.
Traders present also thanked the government for ensuring they also enjoy a modern market facility where necessary facilities would be provided.
By Geoffrey Satia
