Stalled Sh350m market turning into an eyesore

Members of the public at the stalled Karai fish market in Naivasha along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. Nakuru county government has blamed a row between a donor and a contractor for the delay in completing the multi-million project. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

Fishmongers along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway have challenged the Nakuru County government to complete the stalled Sh350m fish market located in Karai, Naivasha.

They noted that the market was turning into an eyesore as unknown people continued to vandalise it by the day, raising fears that it would collapse any time.

According to Simon Mwai, the number of fishmongers along the highway had continued to rise as unemployed youths sought job opportunities.

He said that they were in darkness over the stalled project with county officials giving contradicting statements on the market that has become the laughingstock.

"The Governor promised to complete this market, but at the rate that it's been vandalised, we fear that it might be condemned as uninhabitable due to its current status," he said.

This was echoed by Martha Wanjira, who said that many of the traders did not have cool boxes to store their fish, leading to massive losses every day.

"We thought the market would come in handy in resolving challenges of storage and providing a ready market, but it had turned out to be another white elephant," she said.

Speaking earlier, the county government blamed a contractual row between a development partner and a contractor for the stalled Sh350m fish market.

According to Chief Officer for Trade, Ben Sang, the county entered into a partnership with East Africa Green Council over the construction of the multi-million project.

He added that the county was supposed to cater for land, water, and parking, with the Council developing the market that would also host vegetable traders.

"There was a row about a boundary, and later the Council and the contractor differed on the cost of construction; hence the delay in completion of the project," he said.

Speaking after touring the stalled project, Sang was optimistic that the market would be completed in the next financial year despite part of it being vandalised.

Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja admitted that the delay in the completion of the market had affected tens of fishmongers along the highway by exposing them to accidents.

He said that the county was seeking an extra two acres next to the market, which would be used for parking by those seeking to buy fish or vegetables.

"We are concerned by the long delay in the completion of this project, and we hope that the county will give it priority in the coming financial year," he said.