Bribery for stalls at new city market raises stink – Weekly Citizen

Trouble is looming ahead of the official opening of the newly constructed Wakulima Market in Nairobi following claims of corruption that shrouded the identification process of more than 4,000 traders set to benefit from the project.

Multiple inside sources told Weekly Citizen that nepotism, favouritism and politics have taken centrestage in the allocation of stalls at the city’s Sh800 million fresh produce market.

There are reports of murmuring from traders who believe that they have been unfairly locked out of the market aimed at arresting huge population of merchants in Nairobi which has 20 open-air and 23 large markets.

New wakulima market

They want Governor Mike Sonko to see to it that the allocation process is redone freely and fairly.

A trader who did not wish to named revealed that conmen and brokers have been having a field day during the construction of the market that is 99pc complete.

Some of the conmen are known to have strong political connections and have raked millions of shillings from unsuspecting members of the public through dubious transactions.

However, it was not immediately clear whether the Kenya Urban Roads Authority, the financier of the project was aware of the dirty deals that have hijacked the noble idea.

According to the Kura director general Silas Kinoti, the new city market would be instrumental in decongesting county markets, increasing access to quality, affordable and sustainable food.

Dubious deals surrounding city markets have prompted Governor Sonko to remain on high alert ahead of the markets constructed by the county after it emerged that imposters were conning the public through the fake sale of market spaces and issuance of stalls.

Sonko said that some of the markets targeted by the cartels are the New Wakulima, Westlands market, Karandini market, Mwariro in Kariokor and City Park market in Parklands.