Why Bondo traders keep off Sh30 million market wasting away into bushes

 

Part of the Awelo market in Bondo that has been abandoned and now tuned into homes. PHOTO: ISAIAH GWENGI/ STANDARD

A market that cost Sh30 million of taxpayers’ money is wasting away in bushes, while part of it has been turned into residential homes.

Awelo market on the outskirts of Bondo town, Siaya County, designed to accommodate more than 100 traders, has not been operational since it was commissioned in 2009.

Some of those occupying the market claim they have been remitting monthly rent to the county government, but Bondo sub-county revenue officer, Anthony Owuor denies this.

“We are aware that individual owners have rented out those stalls to people who pay them monthly fees as they wait for the market to begin operations,” says Owuor.

Although the project is 90 per cent complete, the county government says traders have refused to move to the new market.

“The population of this area has really grown big and we thought that by relocating these traders to the new market, we could address the
congestion,” says Owuor.

But Bondo Township ward administrator Phillip Wasonga downplayed plans to relocate the traders to the new market.

“There are no plans to relocate traders to Awelo since there is still enough space in Migingo and Obama markets.

“Traders are just afraid that Awelo is so out of the town centre that their businesses may not get enough customers. However, sooner or later we shall move them there as population grows,” says Wasonga.

Last year, the County Government built a Sh8.5 million ring-road and drainage system at Migingo market to improve accessibility to the market. Rose Achieng, a fresh produce trader, says Awelo market is far off town and it will not be easy for their customers to access it.

Mr Owuor says they charge stall owners Sh2,500 a year. This translates to about Sh300,000 annually for the more than 100 market stalls.

“It is sad that we have been paying an annual fee but the market is non-operational. We better rent the stalls out than leave them idle,” says Edward Okoth, a stall owner at the market. Governor Cornel Rasanga however blames the national government for the delay in transferring such projects initiated by the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) for the county governments.

“It is unfortunate the Transition Authority (TA) did not complete some of its functions, especially transferring some of these
projects to the county government. This therefore makes it difficult for us to complete them,” Rasanga added.