Traders elated as county kicks off market rehabilitation programme

Kerugoya, Monday, July 17, 2023

KNA by Mutai Kipngetich

Kirinyaga County Government has launched a rehabilitation programme for all markets to ease accessibility and create a conducive environment for traders.

The programme involves grading, murraming of access roads and grounds, and improvement of drainage system targeting all markets within the county. The markets and roads rehabilitation programme are utilizing new technology to enhance durability of rural access roads and market grounds across the county.

Accessibility of markets is key to agriculture production as farmers require good roads to get their produce to aggregation centers where they can sell. Traders have lauded the initiative saying it will help attract more people to the markets.

Calbert Njeru, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Cooperative Development, Trade, Marketing, Tourism, Industrialization and Enterprise Development said the markets are well maintained but due to the heavy traffic, the ground becomes soggy during the rainy season.

Njeru said for durability of the grounds and the access roads, the county is utilizing new technology of a mixture of hardcore and quarry dust to murram the facilities.

“With the improved access roads, ground and drainage system, our markets will be more accessible and conducive for people to trade in,” said Njeru.

Kiine Ward Member of the County Assembly (MCA) Geoffrey Murimi said the local leaders will continue to work closely with the executive to ensure smooth implementation of projects.

Wang'uru market chairman Charles Maina said with the rehabilitation of the market, it will be easy for more farmers and traders to come to the facility.

“We are grateful that our markets are clean and the county government has consistently ensured that we have a conducive environment to do business,” he said.

Mary Nyawira said traders appreciate ongoing initiatives by Governor Waiguru’s administration to build more markets for traders urging traders to meet their obligation of paying necessary trading fees to the county government because there was value for their money.

“The rehabilitation of the market is a good gesture by the county government and we can see our money is being spent well,” said Nyawira.

Courtesy ; K. N. A