Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama has been given a one week ultimatum to solve a dispute between locals and a contractor over the proposed Sh23 million Mosobeti market or risk losing revenue from traders.
The contractor who is said to be the governor's son was forcefully ejected from the site by locals under the orders from Bosamaro MCA Boniface Ombori.
The contractor is reportedly working on the site during night hours following the ejection.
The market leadership led by Secretary General Gibson Mochama blamed the county government for remaining mum of the issue despite having received a detailed report.
“This row over construction has taken unnecessarily long. It has jeopardised trading activities in the region because it is a bit difficult to work especially when it rains. The place is full of mud and the status of toilets is not appealing. The governor has to intervene soonest,” he said.
They threatened to boycott remitting taxes to county askaris if the stalemate is not solved in a week’s time contending that they had been displaced from the site by the contractor only for the work to stall.
“There is no construction going on yet we are told to pay taxes. The county government has equally remained mum on the matter. They have a week to solve the stalemate of we boycott remitting of taxes,” he said.
“As traders, whether there is a row or not, we want to see work being done. But it’s disappointing that nothing is going on. We thought that the site will be completed expeditiously so that we continue doing our businesses without interruption,” he added.
They said the contractor was likely to do a shoddy job since he did most of the work in the evening and during night hours.