Snail Pace Myanga Market construction irks traders

Written by Daniel Saenyi

The stalled market construction five years later after its work began.
Five years down the line since the conception of construction of a market square at Myanga market in West Bukusu, nothing seems to be moving beyond the mere skeleton of mortar and iron already erected.

Traders continue to languish in the open spaces, exposed to the scorching sun and biting cold despite the governments spending a fortune in the multi-million project.

Toilets are barely enough to accommodate hundreds of buyers and a host of traders who throng the market every Wednesday and Saturday. It is pathetic, Mary Nafula* 37, not her real name, laments that at some point she is forced to duck into a nearby bush for a long call risking the wrath of the county council and irate members of the society.

The task to construct market square was awarded to Trapezoid Contactors through a competitive tender in 2006. The work on the skeleton as it stands today began in April last year.

Nalianya Wekesa the clerk to the council attributed the slow progress inadequate workers on the site and general laxity on the part of the contractor.

Mr.Nalianya called upon the building contactor to fast track the process because the council is losing out a lot of tax money due tax evasion by traders.

In his defense the site construction engineer, Thomson Owaka said that getting money from the government is a long process and it doesn’t make it easier when they release it at their own pace, but he assured the public that the construction done in the next six months.

“We are loosing out too much, the contractor must really make sufficient efforts to complete the project because it will enable us control the traders,” he said.

If completed the square market will have at least 400 stalls, to accommodate a good number of trader and widen the tax net for the council.

Myanga market is famous for poultry especially turkey and other food stuffs such finger millets and cassava which are available at very affordable prices.

The market serves a rich agricultural hinterland with the local populace growing highly commercialized crops like sugarcane, Tobacco, sweet potatoes and a wide range of vegetables.

If the project that began in 2006 financed through the year’s developmental budget will at any time be complete, only time will tell.