City markets spaces to be issued using open ball

Nairobi City skyline. FILE PHOTO | NMG

By COLLINS OMULO
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Summary

• An open ballot policy will be used to allocate space in the newly built markets across Nairobi to curb graft, the government has said.
• The new markets include Mwariro, Westlands, Gikomba, Karandini and New Wakulima which have been constructed at a cost of Sh2.2 billion.
• President Uhuru Kenyatta last week said the traders who had previously occupied the markets will be given first priority once he commissions the markets.

An open ballot policy will be used to allocate space in the newly built markets across Nairobi to curb graft, the government has said.

The new markets include Mwariro, Westlands, Gikomba, Karandini and New Wakulima which have been constructed at a cost of Sh2.2 billion.

President Uhuru Kenyatta last week said the traders who had previously occupied the markets will be given first priority once he commissions the markets.

Thereafter, the remaining slots will be distributed through an open ballot which will be supervised by government officials.

Further, the President warned city politicians against inciting the public to illegally occupy the five new markets.

“Soon I will come here and open Mwariro market but I don’t want to see any incitement on who will occupy these markets. We want to have a fair process to ensure that everyone will have equal opportunity to occupy the stores,” said President Kenyatta.

The new markets, once opened, will help decongest the current city markets with most traders in the capital grappling with lack of enough space to sell their wares.

Nairobi currently has 20 open-air and 23 large markets which are not enough for the huge population of merchants in the capital city.

Many Nairobi traders have fallen prey to conmen promising them market stalls prompting Nairobi County Assembly’s Trade committee to raise alarm over the issue.

In 2018, committee chairperson Charles Thuo raised similar concerns after his committee visited the New Wakulima Market finding residents camping at the entrance, claiming they had paid in order to be allocated space inside the market.

The committee would recommend the setting up of a joint committee to come up with a list of traders to be allocated spaces as well as establish the mechanism by which traders will be selected and how the markets will be operated.