City Hall gets approval to begin construction of Miraa Market in Ziwani estate
The market, located in Ziwani, will provide a more conducive environment for Miraa businesses, which have long faced challenges with inadequate space and facilities.
The Nairobi County Government has received approval to begin construction of a new Miraa market in the Ziwani area, Starehe Sub-county.
This follows successful public participation with local traders, who voiced their support for the project.
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Dr. Anastasia Nyalita, the County Executive Committee Member for Business and Hustler Opportunities, assured traders that the Miraa market would be a priority for the Governor Johnson Sakaja-led administration.
"We are committed to constructing 20 modern markets across the county. Once the market is complete, we will have a structured plan to allocate spaces to the traders," she said.
Currently, four markets are under construction; Karen, Mutuini, Kahawa West, and Jujo.
The market, located in Ziwani, will provide a more conducive environment for Miraa businesses, which have long faced challenges with inadequate space and facilities.
The construction is expected to improve the overall business environment for local traders and vendors.
Jane Wangùi, the County Chief Officer for Markets and Trade, confirmed that the budget for the Miraa market has already been set, and all plans are in place to begin construction.
"The proposed market will feature various amenities, including a social hall, a lactation room, a ramp for people with disabilities, a backup generator, an ICT hub with free WiFi, a perimeter wall for security, and cold rooms for food preservation," Wangùi explained.
Kenya has the largest miraa market in Somalia, generating millions of dollars from the trade. (Photo: File/AFP)
She assured traders that the project would proceed as planned, with the contractor committed to meeting set deadlines.
Joel Muli, the County Director for Markets, also assured traders that the market would meet all necessary standards and provide additional space for other businesses beyond the Miraa vendors.
David Githaiga, the County Assistant Director for Markets, presented the market's proposed layout, which includes a loading and offloading bay and a general overview of the site.
In relation to this, the government recently announced new pricing for Miraa, effective immediately, to improve the livelihoods of farmers and expand the industry.
The Miraa Pricing Formula Committee reviewed the pricing, which now sees Grade 1 priced at Sh1,300 per kilogramme, up from Sh700, Grade 2 increased to Sh700 from Sh350, and Alele rising from Sh500 to Sh1,000.
Data from the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) revealed that Kenya exported 6.2 million kilogrammes of miraa in 2023, all of which was destined for Somalia.
This is double the 3.1 million kilogrammes that were exported to the Horn of Africa country in 2022, following the resumption of exports that year.
However, the exports fell five months in a row in the second half of 2023, attributed to stiff competition from Ethiopian growers of the stimulant.
"In the year 2023, a total of 6,267,781 kilogrammes of miraa were exported to Somalia. This represents a 50 per cent increase compared to 3,132,802 kilogrammes exported in 2022," AFA said.
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