Kisumu County Government will use Sh410 million to build two ultra modern markets. Governor Jack Ranguma said the projects will help restore sanity and reduce hawking with Kisumu city.
Ranguma said they will spend Sh140 million to build six-storey building in Kibuye market while Sh270 million will be used to redesign and build a three-storey building in Jubilee market.
He said the markets will be equipped with modern toilets, electricity and shop outlets under the Kisumu Urban Project (KUP) being funded to the tune of Sh4.5 billion by French Government.
Ranguma said when completed, Kibuye will accommodate more than 1,000 business operators while Jubilee will host about 600.
“We are going to open roads and improve on drainage system to make it more efficient for users. This will also ease traffic jam in Kisumu,” the governor said. Ranguma said re-designing of the markets will reduce cases of fire outbreak largely attributed to electricity fault to poor connection and illegal connection.
Kibuye market which is one of the biggest open air markets in Africa has been on fire several times with business operators incurring huge losses.
Many traders have put their shops in the market and you can get almost anything that you want from clothing, shoes, bags, grocery, haircut, saloons, water, furniture and all that you want. Ranguma also said construction of the Nyalenda road under the Kisumu Urban Project is still on.
Residents of Nyalenda had demanded compensation before the Sh360 million projects under KUP continues. However, there was no budget for compensation and the project was stopped to allow negotiation between the donors and community.
He said the standoff was caused by devaluation of Kenyan shilling to Euro, exchange rate, when after the MoU had been signed between donors and Kisumu. Ranguma spoke to the press on Tuesday on his a two-week trip to South East Asia.
He led a delegation from his government to Manila in Philippines, Hong Kong, Pattaya in Thailand and Bangkok where they meet various investors.