BusinessCrime WatchHomeMain StoryNational NewsNewsPolitics

Relief for South B traders as government awards tender for construction of modern market

The market will occupy Sh200million land set aside by the defunct Nairobi County Council for public commercial use but had been taken over by private developer

It is a sigh of relief for Nairobi South residents after the government announced the award of a tender for the construction of a modern market in South B.

The ministry of Lands, Public Works and Urban Development, which is undertaking the project, has now requested traders occupying land on which the market will be constructed to vacate the area. 

“This is to inform you that the construction works for South B Modern Market have been awarded to M/s Jyan Construction Services for a contract period of twelve months. You are hereby requested to advise traders at the proposed site to vacate as the contractor is expected to hoard the site during the entire construction period,”  Secretary for Urban and Metropolitan Development B.K. Njenga said in a letter to the Nairobi County Government. 

In the letter, also copied to Starehe MP Amos Mwago, Hustler and Business Opportunities CEC Dr Anastasia Nyalita and Nairobi South MCA Waithera Chege,  Njenga advised the county to undertake proper enumeration of traders and keep the records well which will assist them when resettling them when the market is ready.

Today, Waithera led traders from the ward to a meeting with county officials to discuss how they will be registered before the commencement of the project. 

Addressing the press, Waithera stated that she is glad the president and the county government of Nairobi have agreed to build a modern market on the parcel of land that had been grabbed by Kiambu Town MP Waithaka Machua.

“We have been fighting the issue of land grabbing in South B and I am glad we were able to bring back the market land which had been grabbed by Kiambu town Member of Parliament. I’m happy that the president and the county have agreed that we are building a market at the said land,” she stated.

See also  US inmate chooses electric chair over lethal injection

The market is expected to accommodate 2,700 traders.

South B is among the various wards in the city that do not have a market and sometime last year, the traders  received a letter from the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) directing them to vacate the road reserves where they do their business.

Waithera had a meeting with KURA and agreed that the traders would only leave after the government provides a market for them.

“We are happy that the national government has heard our cry and instructed the county to do the remuneration so that the construction can begin in one week,” she said.

Traders in the area have expressed their joy thanking their area MCA for being firm and fighting for the land ensuring that it is back to the public from the grabbers

“We thank Waithera for fighting and seeing the land back to the residents of South B from the grabbers. We have been doing our business on the road reserves and many have lost their lives and property in accidents that occur there,” South B Traders Chairman James Maina Nguru stated.

“We are very happy because we shall now move from the road. After all, we have always feared for our lives doing business on the reserves. Our area has been without a market and we are happy now that the MCA has pushed to ensure the land is back from the grabbers for the construction of a modern market,” Elizabeth Mueni Mutua, a trader in South B said.

Further, Waithera has urged the traders in the area to pay the fees required for them to continue getting better services from the county.

See also  CJ Martha Koome to preside over the swearing-in of the new DCI boss tomorrow

“If you do business kindly pay sales tax for you to get good services from the government including schools, water, and good roads. The stalls at the new market shall be allocated to those who comply and pay the returns,” she said.

“Ensure you pay via the County Paybill or directly to the account. Do not pay cash to any county officer because that is where problems begin,” She added.

The county government is expected to collect the garbage on the site ahead of the groundbreaking with the owners of kiosks surrounding the site also requested to vacate too.

This comes after months of struggle led by the MCA to reclaim the land, with South B residents staging protests being held at one point.

In August, they demolished the fence that had been erected around the land thwarting the first attempt of the developer proceeding with their development.

On August 10, 2023, they filed a petition through Waithera to ensure the land was not grabbed.

Documents seen by the Informer Media Group indicated that on December 4, 2018, the land was transferred to  Waithaka but City Hall never approved constructions to take place on the land.

The 0.7131 acres, which is valued at Sh200 million, is an open space was set aside by the defunct Nairobi County Council for public commercial use (market and shops.)

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button
error: Content is protected !!