Traders at Garissa's oldest market raise concern over invasion by private developers

Soko Mugdi, the oldest market in Garissa town, had been earmarked for transformation by the national government into a modern market to serve a growing population.

However, this has not happened and, instead, the market is grappling with various challenges, mainly an encroachment by private developers and inadequate space for traders.

New, tall, storey buildings by private developers are coming up near the market situated at the heart of Garissa town.

The developers hope potential traders will rent buildings. But the traders in the market are a worried lot.

Billow Bashir, the chairman of the market, expressed worry about the emerging trend where land owners neighbouring the market are encroaching into it, claiming ownership of the land and insisting they have valid documents.

"We are disturbed by the encroachment by the private developers. It is a new trend and all are claiming ownership despite the clear boundaries of the market including a road that was recently constructed by the county government as a demarcation," Billow said.

Abdikadir Osman, a trader is among 15 people who have been issued a vacate notice by a private developer seeking to extend his business into the market.

“It is like we are in a lawless state. I have been operating in this part of the market for the last 15 years yet someone is claiming it today,” he said.

Alice Maina, a second-hand clothes seller who operated her business at the market for the past 30 years reads mischief in the emerging trend.

"We are worried, soon the entire market will be owned by private individuals, all with documents of ownership if the relevant government ministries fail to intervene," Alice said.

She said the current trend is due to the growing demand for space in the market that enjoys a huge number of customers due to its fame and location within Garissa town.

Garissa Municipality CEO Mohamed Hassan Osman blamed the confusion on the defunct municipal council which he said leased the market to local businessmen.

He said the municipality only collects revenue from the market and efforts to restore have often been blocked by court challenges from an individual who was transferred from the market through a lease procedure by the defunct municipal council.

He said Garissa Municipality has not issued any allotment letter to the private developers who are encroaching Soko Mugdi market.

He said those encroaching into the market claim they have title deeds from Ardhi House in Nairobi and are threatening to take legal action against the municipality for trying to stop them.

"I almost lost my right ear after I mobilised my enforcement officers to stop a private developer who attacked me with a panga," he said, revealing the magnitude of the woes bedevilling the market.

He said that during his recent visit when he attended a graduation ceremony at Garissa University, President William Ruto announced the elevation of Soko Mugdi into a modern market. He said in the process of elevating the market, a solution will be found to address the existing challenges.

Demand for space in the congested market has caused a spill-over of vendors who have set up an unauthorised market on Posta Road, just 50 meters from Soko Mugdi, from where the traders were last week ordered to vacate and move to the newly constructed Orahey modern market.

The new Orahey modern market was officially opened last week by Governor Nathif Jama despite protest from a section of the Orahey open-air market traders.

Some have complained about the size of stalls awarded to them, others say they received tables instead of stalls while others claim not to have received either.

Kassim Abdullahi, a retail shop owner, said the complaints are influenced by fear of relocating to a new market a few meters away from Soko Mugdi.

"It is like traders in Garissa believe money circulates within Soko Mugdi or closer to it. They fear losing customers in the new market. I don't know why traders in Garissa have this notion," he said.

In Bulla Iftim ward in Garissa Township, a multimillion-shilling market built under former president Mwai Kibaki's stimulus project lies idle. It was intended to decongest the crowded Soko Mugdi market.

A spot check by The Eastleigh Voice revealed an unused modern market surrounded by a large population who would have served as potential customers for traders.

Mohamed Osman, who lives adjacent to the idle modern market, said locals call the market Soko Bure to signify that it is of no use to them.

"We buy vegetables from Soko Mugdi market. People in my neighbourhood hire tuk-tuks or taxis to get vegetables from Soko Mugdi. It is an extra cost. I wish the traders crowded at the Soko Mugdi would have known the importance of this modern facility," he said.

The poorly planned kiosks, lack of proper access roads and crowded makeshift stalls define the Soko Mugdi markets, despite their charming effect on traders.

Mugdi is a Somali word that means darkness. The market has on numerous occasions been burnt by fires that occurred during the night.

The latest was in 2022 during the electioneering period when an inferno gutted the market, leaving traders counting losses worth millions of shillings. Fire engines that responded to the fire outbreak could not access the poorly planned market.

The new access road is meant to allow for easy access to the market during emergencies like fire outbreaks.