Small scale traders in Murang’a County are now requesting the new county government to establish a kitty that will give them affordable loans to boost their businesses.
Several wholesalers in the county say they are still struggling to get their businesses back on track following the onset of Covid-19 pandemic coupled by current increment in fuel prices that has resulted in the rise of the prices of most goods.
A Murangá town wholesaler, Jane Mwenda, said that in addition to the coronavirus crisis that affected most people’s sources of livelihood, the now high fuel prices have seen the rise in prices of basic commodities.
“Even before people could recover from the pandemic, the cost of fuel went up and that means even the items we receive from the dealers in Nairobi now comes at a higher price,” Mwenda said.
Another trader, Joseph Mwangi stated that his banana selling business at Mukuyu market has been adversely affected adding buyers are no longer making many orders of the commodity as previously due to hiked prices.
Mwangi explained that the prices of bananas from the farms is high and so is the cost of transporting them to the market. “I used to sell approximately six bunches of bananas a day but currently, I only sell three a day,” he stated, adding although he had adjusted the prices, the profit margins are lower.
On her part, Felis Wambui, said that the issue of the school calendar having four terms instead of the usual three had put extra financial constraints on many parents which in turn affected their businesses.
“Many of us are being forced to take loans in order to pay school fees so that the students may not be sent home to get the same,” she stated.
It is against this backdrop that Wambui urged Murang’a county government to help save their businesses by establishing a fund that would give small scale traders loans at affordable interest rates to cushion them from the current financial crisis.
By Purity Mugo and Mary Wambua
