Kenya: Looming Crisis in Kisumu’s Kenyatta Market Over Occupation

Mutundika says the market has been segmented into seven sectors to accommodate all the traders, ranging from mutumba, fresh vegetable produce, fish traders amongst others.

“There is a committee that vetted the traders’ and only the genuine ones will be considered,” said Mutundika.

Railways ward MCA David Arao, whose ward is hosting the market says the list containing the names of the traders is not complete.

Arao says many traders who were affected by the demolitions are unsuspiciously missing in the lists.

“The list must be cleaned, we want genuine traders who were affected by the demolitions,” he said.

The county government was expected to build stalls in the market but that has not been done with MCA Arao questioning the hurry to take traders into the market.

“How will they trade in an open hall, can’t the county government be allowed to fulfill its obligation before traders can be allowed in,” he said.

Joanes Mathembo, a trader whose structure was demolished and his name is missing from the list says he has tried to have his name fixed in the list in vain.

“I don’t know where to turn to, nobody is listening to my issue yet spaces are being given out tomorrow,” he said.

Mathembo who hails from Makueni County says he has been doing business in Kisumu for the last 20 years and should be considered for a stall at the new market.

Other traders too are crying foul after their names missed getting into the list that was published in the local dailies.