Homa Bay traders assured of new stalls at market

The county government will ensure the new market meets international standards. [Standard]

About 600 traders in Homa Bay relocated to pave the way for construction of a Sh11.9 million market will be given priority in allocation of stalls once the new facility is ready.

Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata said the modern market will have 1,000 stalls out of which 600 will be given to traders who initially operated at the venue.

“The rest of the stalls will be given to new traders wishing to work at the new market. The distribution of stalls to the new traders will be done based on a criteria that will ensure fairness,” said Mr Orata who toured the site on Sunday in the company of County Secretary Isaiah Ogwe.

The county government will ensure the new market meets international standards, he said.

Among other facilities, the market will have bathrooms, toilets and a parking lot for bodaboda riders.

Free Wi-fi

It will also have free Wi-fi installed by the county government.

“We want to make sure that this is more than a market. Other than trading, we also want to ensure it is a sort of recreational facility for traders, buyers and residents of this area in general,” said Orata. 

He assured that local youths will get jobs at the construction site.

“We have agreed with the contractor that residents of this county will be given priority in providing labour for construction of the market,” Orata added.

The construction is being being done by Danaff Kenya, a Chinese company. The project is funded by the county government in partnership with the World Bank.

Some traders had initially opposed their relocation to pave way for construction of the market.

They alleged some county employees had already acquired spaces at the new market which they planned to sell to traders at the cost of between Sh10,000 to Sh20,000.