State sets 12-month deadline for South B’s first Sh332 million market

The contractor handling the construction of the Sh332 million South B Market in Nairobi has been directed to complete the project within one year.

Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development, Alice Wahome announced that there will be no extension and that the deadline should be met within 12 months.

She was speaking during the groundbreaking of the market project on Thursday.

"When President William Ruto said he is committed to lifting the dignity of small-scale traders, he meant exactly what we are doing today at South B. With a record of only 12 months, over 1,000 traders will have somewhere to do their trade. The market will be done according to world modern standards," CS Wahome said.

The new market is part of a larger government initiative to build 10 modern markets across the country by 2027.

This will ensure better working conditions for small-scale traders who have long struggled with unsafe and congested working environments.

"We are committed to improving the working conditions of small-scale traders. They will now have a secure, modern space to carry out their business," the CS added.

Once completed, the market will accommodate over 1,500 traders from South B Ward. The modern, three-storey facility will include lactating rooms for mothers, digital hubs, and spaces for meetings.

The CS commended the South B traders for keeping up a spirited fight to ensure the market land was returned from the land grabber.

"I have been following the politics and fight behind this land, and you did right by protecting public land," she said, commending local leaders and residents for their efforts in securing the site.

Youth employment

The government plans to employ 300 local youth during the construction phase of the market.

The facility is designed to modernize the local economy and provide traders with a more stable and secure environment to conduct business.

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In addition to providing a secure trading space, CS Wahome noted the government's commitment to overseeing the project's timely completion.

The CS said she would be making an impromptu visit to ensure that the construction works are ongoing.

"At times, projects stall, and sometimes it's not the government's fault but the contractors. But for this market project, we will oversee it until it is completed. Once it's done, 'wamama wasoko' [women traders] will have money in their pockets," Wahome said.

The construction contract for the South B Market has been awarded to Jyan Construction Services. CS Wahome also confirmed that the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure the land is not misused.

Local leaders have long fought to prevent land grabbing in the area, and during the groundbreaking ceremony, South B MCA Waithera Chege detailed how a senior government official nearly took over the land designated for the market.

"We have serious land cartels in Nairobi, these people are frustrating government efforts to build modern markets. We are urging our President to move with speed and address this because it is now becoming catastrophic," she said.

The dispute over the land intensified last year when a private developer attempted to fence off the site meant for the market.

Protests followed, and it was only after MCA Waithera petitioned the Nairobi County Assembly Lands Committee that the issue was resolved. The committee confirmed that the land belonged to the public.

"We have been fighting issues of land grabbing in South B. I'm glad we were able to bring back the market land, which had been grabbed by a sitting Kiambu MP. I'm now pleased that the President and the county government have agreed to build a modern market on this land," Waithera said.

Despite the government's commitment to the market, traders in South B have been operating illegally along road reserves for years, often risking their lives due to heavy traffic.

The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has long warned traders about the dangers of these illegal roadside operations.

In September 2021, KURA issued a notice to the traders demanding the removal of structures along road reserves, as they breached the Kenya Roads Act.

However, the agency's threat to demolish these illegal structures has not been enforced, leaving traders in a precarious position.

Once the market is built, traders from road corridors including Kapiti, Aoko, Plainsview, Mwangeka, Sorre, Mchumbi, Daidai, Mukenia, and Mariakani will finally be relocated to a safer, more organized facility.

Transparency in stall allocations

The new market will feature state-of-the-art amenities including digital hubs, floodlights for improved security, and lactating rooms for mothers.

The government has also promised that the allocation of stalls will be done transparently and fairly, ensuring that only South B residents benefit from the market.

Starehe MP Amos Mwago who also attended the event, urged the inclusion of local youth in the construction process.

"My plea is that our youths are hired for labour during the construction of the market. Let them be involved from the start to the end of this project. Also, when the time comes for stall allocation, kindly ensure that our people know on time," he said.

Waithera who is the Deputy Minority Leader at the county assembly reassured traders that the allocation of market stalls would be done fairly and transparently.

"We are working with the county government to ensure that bonafide tenants and landlords will get these shops once construction is complete," she added.

The new South B Market will serve as a hub for fresh produce, fish, clothes, and other household goods.

This project, part of the government's broader effort to expand and modernize 400 markets across Kenya, is also seen as an important step toward improving the city's economy and enhancing Nairobi's Own Source Revenue (OSR).

For years, traders in South B have operated on roadside reserves, often risking their lives due to heavy traffic. The new market promises to change this, providing safer working conditions and enhancing the area's economic vitality.

With this project, the government hopes to bring both social and financial benefits to the people of Nairobi.