Narok: The Ultra-modern Uhuru market, in Narok town, being built under the Economic Stimulus Program (ESP) at a cost of Sh358 million is 44 percent complete. The market is expected to be completed next year 2026 and will accommodate over 800 traders, who have all along been doing business in open places.
According to Kenya News Agency, Principal Administrative Secretary in the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Ms. Juliana Yiapan, expressed confidence that the market will be completed within the stipulated deadline during her inspection tour. "We are impressed with the progress so far. The contractor is ahead of schedule and this gives us hope that he will complete his work within the timelines," said Ms. Yiapan. She was accompanied by senior officers from the OPCS, including Secretary Strategy Dominic Magotsi, legal advisor Daniel Ameyo, and senior officers from the Delivery Unit.
The market is one of the megaprojects that the government is implementing in Narok and is expected to be a game changer for Narok residents who have for years longed to have such a modern facility. Seven other markets in different parts of the county are being built at a cost of Sh1.3 billion. The other locations include Ololulunga, Ntulele, Suswa, Emurua Dikir, Mambo Leo, Ewaso Nyiro, and Olchoro.
Narok Town Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Ali Shakur, who accompanied the team, stated that the new market will provide a safer place for vegetable vendors and other traders who have been operating beside the road. "Those selling vegetables beside the road risk their lives and suffer harsh weather conditions. The presence of the new modern market will create a better environment for their business," he said.
The ultra-modern markets are expected to attract financial institutions like M-Pesa shops, banks, and insurance firms, thereby creating more job opportunities and boosting the livelihood of the people. Shakur noted that the vision of the current administration is to create job opportunities for the many jobless young people in the country, adding that hundreds of youths have been contracted to work at the construction sites.
Once completed, the markets will feature modern cold storage facilities, modern washrooms, breastfeeding rooms for mothers, and internet connectivity. The facilities are also designed with disability-access walkways. Margeret Wanjiru, a trader at Muthurwa market, remarked that the completion of the market will be a significant gain for them, as it will offer a comfortable environment to conduct business and ensure the security of their commodities. She urged the government to prioritize the traders at the market first when allocating the stalls before considering other members of the public.