Amagoro traders to benefit from a Sh50m modern market project » Capital News
BUSIA, Kenya, Jul 27 — Traders in Malaba municipality in Busia County are set to benefit from a multi-million integrated modern market to be constructed at Amagoro trading centre.
This comes after Amagoro Assistant County Commissioner Titus Kiptoo handed over the site of the 50 million modern market to the contactror which is under the Market Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP), a multi-million project initiative being undertaken jointly by the National and County Governments.
The market is intended to open up trade links due to its proximity to the border and support the region’s economic growth, targeting small-scale traders in line with the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise economic pillar.
The 60 by 20m market will have an ultra-modern single floor each, with 200 stalls to accommodate a similar number of traders. The ground floor will mainly consist of smart stalls to provide display space, storage, and security of their wares, cold rooms, and administrative offices.
The first floor will accommodate revenue office, ICT hub, social hall, food court, and an ATM lobby. An offsite ablution block accommodating ladies, gents, and PWDs will be provided as part of the facility.
The market will equally have unique facilities such as cold rooms for preserving fresh products with sanitation and water supply taken care of by 5,000 litres UPVC roof tank and 30, 000 litres steel tank fully equipped with booster pumps.
ACC Kiptoo assured residents that the contractor James Muriuki of Contralink Contractors has given assurance that he will employ people from the area instead of outsourcing them.
Kiptoo urged the residents of Teso to embrace agribusiness for sustainability of the market and avoid overdependence on importations from Uganda.
“As the government strive to complete this market in a record time, let us embrace agribusiness and utilize the market for our own economic empowerment,” noted ACC Kiptoo.
The ACC urged the market committee to give priority to traders currently operating stalls along the busy Malaba-Eldoret highway.
The sentiment echoed by acting Teso North Sub Sub County Administrator Silas Juma noting that the first recipients of the stalls once the contractor hands over the market to the government will be those who are doing business now.
Malaba Municipality Board Member Ishmael Orodi, who was the brain behind the purchase of the land for the market in 2010 when he was councillor for Teso North County Council said, he is not regretting the move he made that is now bearing fruits for area residents.
The residents lead by Simon Oruchum thanked Orodi for purchasing the land, urging the government to allocate specific market day for Amagoro. He also urged residents of Teso North to support leaders, especially MP Oku Kaunya.
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