Hundreds of residents within Kasarani and Starehe constituencies are set to benefit from two markets set for construction in the next one year.
The two market projects, worth Sh750 million, will be constructed at Maji Mazuri and South B areas and will host 2,000 traders on normal days and an additional 1,000 during designated market days.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony held at the South B Market site Thursday, Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary (CS) Alice Wahome said that the two contractors have officially taken over the sites measuring one acre each, with the works set for completion within the next one year.
“Provision of secure trading space for the over 2,000 traders is a key plank of the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). My ministry has collaborated with the State Department for TVETS, Jua Kali organisations, and other stakeholders to construct market stalls developed by local Jua Kali clusters. The subcontracted Jua Kali cluster shall be paid from the contract sum,” she said.
CS Wahome said that the two contracts would absorb 800 workers during the construction phase, with local Jua Kali artisans provided with technical assistance and financial support to provide the required products for the project. This is aimed at enhancing their financial position, enabling them to win big-ticket contracts in the future.
Maji Mazuri Market will provide approximately 1,000 daily traders with decent and secure stalls, with the numbers projected to increase up to 1,500 traders on designated market days. The projected number of traders at the South B market is 900 daily traders and approximately 1,500 traders during open-market days.
The markets will deal in fresh farm produce, fish, beef, clothes, and general household commodities and will provide Nairobi City County with added Own Source Revenue (OSR), leading to increased financial capacity to deliver services to the citizens of Nairobi.
The expansion and modernisation project is set to have 400 markets in key trading centres across the country.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
