By JAMES MWANGI
Small traders of Uhuru market in Makadara estate are hopeful Governor Evans Kidero will renovate a section of the market razed two years ago.
Led by the Maringo/Hamza County Rep Njuguna Mwangi, the traders hope the new county government will renovate the market, which the defunct City Council of Nairobi ignored.
The fire consumed the market block together with goods worth millions of shillings.
Despite pledges by politicians to raise funds for its renovation when they visited the scene, nothing has been done.
“Politicians promised to help us out of this tragedy, but after a long wait we gave up,” a trader said.
Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, accompanied by Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi and MP Gideon Mbuvi ‘Sonko’, promised to build temporary stalls after the fire.
“We visited their offices several times until we gave up and thought of a quick practical solution,” Mwangi told The Nairobian.
Mwangi said CCN offered an open piece of land next to the block and the Equity Bank agreed to lend the affected traders money to continue with their business.
“Equity Bank agreed to loan us funds for building spacious stalls for the 91 affected traders. A few more others joined in,” Mwangi said.
The traders are now servicing the loans, which range between Sh20,000 and Sh30,000.
They have urged Governor Kidero to revamp the market to accommodate more traders.
