- Chesinendet modern market is nearing completion and expected to serve about 5,000 people
- More than 200 traders will get stalls with cold storage, ICT services and clean water facilities
- Women traders are set to benefit from safer trading spaces through the new market and Mama Shops initiative.
The Chesinendet Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) modern market in Kipkelion East, Kericho County, is nearing completion and set to boost SMEs. Once operational, the facility is expected to improve trading conditions for about 5,000 people in the area.
The market features a hotel, an ICT room, a pre-feeding centre, a cold storage facility and a borehole, which is at its final stage of completion. The borehole will provide clean water to traders and neighbouring communities once finished.
Kipkelion East Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Mohamoud Ibrahim Hassan said the project would give traders a safer and more organised environment while improving access to markets for agricultural produce and creating opportunities for young people.
According to Hassan, the ICT room will let young people access information and various services, while the cold storage facility will help traders preserve fresh and perishable produce. He added that landscaping works were ongoing as the project neared completion.
“More than 200 traders will have an opportunity to secure stalls in the modern market, where they will be protected from rain, sun, and strong winds, while their products will be better protected and customers will have a more comfortable environment to shop,” said Hassan.
Chairman of Chesinendet Farmers’ Cooperative Society Joseph Choge welcomed the project, saying it would offer better trading conditions, particularly for women who have struggled to run businesses in difficult environments. He thanked the government for building the market, noting that women traders in the area had faced considerable hardship in the past.
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However, Choge raised concerns over inadequate parking space, noting that the market occupies approximately half an acre. He appealed to the national government to acquire additional land to create sufficient parking for traders and customers.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has supported 50 women traders along the Nakuru-Kericho highway with branded Mama Shops, giving them safe, spacious and organised spaces to sell fresh produce while protecting them from harsh weather and roadside trading risks.
The Mama Shops are expected to complement the Chesinendet ESP Modern Market by creating additional opportunities for small-scale traders, while also improving access to fresh agricultural produce for residents, motorists and other customers travelling along the Nakuru-Kericho highway.
By Bernard Magada
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