Eldoret town inches closer to modern market after Ruto promise

Uasin Gishu County residents can now give their views on the proposed ultra-modern market in Eldoret town, ahead of its construction.

A team constituted by the county government has started holding public participation meetings in all six sub-counties to get views from residents on the multi-million project. 

The meetings started on Wednesday and will run until Friday.

It happened as Eldoret Town Municipality manager Tito Koiyet revealed that a report on a public participation exercise on the proposed elevation of the town to a city status will be handed to county leadership within the next two weeks.

"The report is in the finalisation stages and will be handed to the executive within the next one or two weeks," Mr Koiyet said.

The executive will in turn present it to the county assembly for MCAs to discuss the committee’s recommendations, before forwarding the report to the Senate for consideration.

'Eldoret city'

The process of conferring city status on Eldoret could be concluded within one year if approved by ward reps and the Senate. The Head of State will then have the final say on granting a charter.

The ultra-modern market project is expected to boost trade as the town angles for the city's status.

In January, Land and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Zachary Mwangi Njeru visited Eldoret town and assured residents that the construction of the modern market estimated would begin by early February, although it hasn’t.

“The county government of Uasin Gishu wishes to notify its citizens that subject to the provisions of Article 201 of the Constitution of Kenya, it will be collecting views from members of the public towards the construction of an iconic market in the CBD,” a notice by Trade county executive Martha Cherut read.

Ruto's commitment

On December 25, President William Ruto made a public commitment at a public function in Eldoret that the National Government will construct a multi-storey market for traders in the town.

The local leadership had requested the Head of State to intervene, due to the congestion of traders in the town who do not have a proper market.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii has since explained that the new market will sit on 3.25 acres, formerly the Champions market and 64 retail markets, a few meters from the Eldoret main stage terminus.

Mr Koiyet said on Wednesday said that the construction is expected to begin once public participation has been concluded.

“(The project will start with) groundbreaking after all preliminaries are completed-public participation, drawing and designs and procurement,” stated Mr Koiyet.

Eldoret town standards

The CS had said that the upgrade of the market, construction of affordable housing units, and a new railway project in the town are expected to improve the Eldoret town standards as it seeks to be elevated to a city.

Mr Njeru also pledged the State's commitment to implement the multi-billion project expected to provide a conducive environment for traders in Eldoret town.

The proposed market will also have two levels of underground parking and five stories that will host different businesses.

Governor Bii said that the ultramodern market will also have an installation cooling and packaging facility for packaging and value addition of fresh agricultural produce. Beautification will also be undertaken around the market.

The county boss noted that the new market is expected to accommodate the increasing number of traders that had piled pressure on the existing market facilities. In turn, it will increase revenue sources for the county.

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