Traders complain over county government’s failure to clean Oyani market

Migori, Thursday, June 15, 2023,

KNA by George Agimba

Traders at Oyani market in Uriri Sub County are up in arms against the Migori County government for failing to clean the market.  

They claimed that despite paying levy charges promptly, the county government had failed to clean the town and provide clean water, thus exposing them to the risks of contracting communicable diseases such as cholera.

At the same time, the group decried lack of security lights within the centre leading to increased insecurity at the market and the entire trading centre.

Speaking at the centre today, Miss Susan Akinyi rued that as a result of lack of security in the area, three shops, including hers, were broken into and property of a huge value was stolen in the past two months.

Akinyi, a shopkeeper at the market, said that cases of violent robbery and house burglary had gone up tenfold within the centre, sending away many investors.

“The many dark alleys within and around the shopping centre because of lack of security lights is providing a good environment for gangs of thieves to raid the market every month and escape with property worth millions of shillings," she explained.

On matters sanitation, the traders complained of not having proper toilets within the market where they can use to respond to nature calls.

In most cases they are forced to relieve themselves behind the houses surrounding the market, which also increases chances of cholera outbreak in the market.

“There are no toilets in this market and we find it hard to respond to nature calls. We are forced to convert the areas behind the houses surrounding the market into wash rooms,” lamented Ms Janet Atieno. 

Atieno hilariously said that it was ironic that there was an incomplete modern toilet in the market which was built by the county government back in 2017.

However, to date the toilets doors are locked with padlocks and it is only spiders that know the importance of the building as it is full of cobwebs.

“It is so strange that we are suffering to enjoy toilet services yet we have an incomplete modern toilet locked with padlocks full of cobwebs,” said a frustrated Atieno.

She pleaded with the county government officials to intevene quickly by collecting the heaps of garbage every day and open blocked drainages dogging the centre.

By doing this, we will be saved from the risks of contracting opportunistic diseases that attack as result of poor sanitation.

According to David Jagero, a resident of the area, not only is the market in a poor state but the entire oyani centre is filthy from the uncollected garbage.

Jagero stated that it has been ten years since the market was constructed but nothing good is happening there, not even proper tax collection system.

Additionally, Jagero expressed his concerns over revelation by local authorities that the market is not listed among other municipalities in Migori County.

But according to the area Member of County Assembly (MCA) Mr Norman Ogolla, it is lack of funds that has delayed the renovation of the market.

He also blamed the heavy rains pounding the region for the bad state of the market.

“We had planned to renovate the market early this year but lack of funds hit us, then came the heavy rains, spoiling every move,” said Mr.Ogolla

However, he urged the traders to be patient as he had shared their predicaments with the governor Ochillo Ayacko and very soon all their problems will be no more.

Courtesy ; K. N. A