Community in South Imenti accuses county government of giving it raw deal

A section of Nkubu's Taita clan members demonstrate in the town to protest county government's allocation of market space to 'outsiders'. [PHOTOS: PETER MUTHOMI/STANDARD]

A community in South Imenti has accused the county government of giving it a raw deal in allocation of stalls at a market in Nkubu town.

Members of Taita community said they gave up their land for Jerusalem market to be set up yet they had only been allotted 10 slots out of more than 56 slots at the market.

Governor Kiraitu Murungi helped build the market when he served as area MP.

Allocation plan

Led by Jacob Kinyua, the Taita clan’s chairman, the residents demonstrated against the county government’s move to give them only 10 slots out of more than 56 slots.

They wrote and presented a memorandum to the county administration in which they argued that former Governor Peter Munya and former area MCA Nick Mburugu had assured them they would get a bigger share of slots because the land belonged to them.

“As Taita community, we gave up 120 acres of our land in Nkubu. Our ancestors are buried in the ground we stand on. It is our market. We want to be given adequate space,” said Mr Kinyua.

In the memorandum, the community claims it has a right to get at least 30 per cent of available space in mitumba, shoeshine and other sheds in the town.

Nkubu town administrator Roseline Gakii, who received the memorandum, said the Taita should not expect additional slots as others too deserve space.

Be satisfied

She said Taita should be satisfied with the 10 slots, with one slot having room for three traders.

She said many traders were still operating by roadsides in Nkubu, thereby posing safety concerns. "We want to move them to the markets and we plead for understanding by all traders," Gakii said.

The new market has a capacity to accommodate about 600 traders.