Kisumu county denies eviction of traders at Kibuye market
City Manager Abala Wanga said the closure of the popular market is temporary and mainly as a result of safety and health concerns.
Kisumu county government has dismissed claims that traders at the popular open-air Kibuye market are being evicted following its shutdown last week.
City Manager Abala Wanga said the closure is temporary and mainly as a result of safety and health concerns.
The City Health Inspectorate says it is imperative to close the market to avoid the spread of cholera and that all areas of congestion would be rehabilitated and cleaned to avert disease crisis.
Wanga, who visited the market yesterday alongside Kaloleni-Shauri Moyo Ward MCA Carren Odhiambo, Director of Public Health Fredrick Oluoch, and officials from Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company (KIWASCO), conducted an inspection of the market following its shutdown last week.
“Nobody is being chased out of the market, this is the fact. We are just cleaning the market to safeguard the health of our people,” Wanga said during the tour. “Once hygiene standards are restored, traders will return to work.”
On his part, Odhiambo asked the hundreds of affected traders to be patient as clean up is being executed by county authorities.
““I want to take this opportunity to welcome the city manager, the KIWASCO Managing director, and the health department team. As you know, the market was closed after a cholera outbreak. The place is filthy, and we cannot allow business to continue under such conditions,” stated Odhiambo. “We urge traders to remain calm. The process will take about two to three days, and by next week, we expect the market to reopen.”
Traders have been temporarily relocated to the Uhuru Business Market to facilitate restoration works at Kibuye, including upgrades to sanitation facilities, drainage systems, and utilities.
On his part, Ouluoch said the decision to close the market followed a spike in cholera cases linked to deteriorating hygiene.
“Cholera cases have been reported from Nyando, Ahero, and now a suspected case from this area. Given that Kibuye supplies food not only to Kisumu but to other parts of the country, urgent action was necessary,” Oluoch said. “There are no water connections for sanitary facilities, no electricity, poor drainage, and no waste management. Without immediate intervention, we would face a serious outbreak.”
Odongo confirmed that assessments of the market’s water and sewer systems are underway to ensure safe conditions before operations resume.
