Contractor resurfaces to complete stalled market

The contractor of the incomplete Soko Posta market has returned to finish the project started seven years ago.

This comes barely three days after The Standard reported that the county was planning to relocate traders to the market before its completion.

The project was started in 2011 by the then Ministry of Local Government under Economic Stimulus Programme, but stalled.

Done in a week

The contractor of the project, Caleb Omoro, said the remaining 40 per cent would be finished in one week. “I have told the county and national Government to allow us to finish the work before traders can move in because what is remaining can be completed in one week,” said Omoro.

He, however, said part of the market was ready for use.

“It can be partially handed over to the county government because the sheds are ready," he said.

He did not say what occasioned the delay to complete the market more than seven years since the project started.

Shelved plans

In the meantime, the county has shelved plans to relocate traders to the market.

The traders were to be relocated on Monday. However, officials from Kenya Urban Support Programme intervened and the contractor returned to the site.

Earlier, the traders, led by their chairman John Otieno, had vowed not to move to the market until it is complete.

County Director of Trade Vincent Asikoye said the market was being constructed at a cost of Sh75 million.

He directed the contractor to finish the project in time to enable the county to move traders from the roadsides.

“We are committed to ensuring that we decongest the town and that our traders operate in a better environment. The contractor must finish the remaining work on time,” said Asikoye.