NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 15 – The newly constructed Kamuwongo ESP Market in Mwingi North has significantly improved the trading environment for hundreds of small-scale traders who for years operated in harsh, insecure and unhygienic conditions.
Built at a cost of Sh59.4 million, the modern market block accommodates 200 traders and serves more than 1,000 users daily, offering a dignified, safe and structured space for businesses that previously struggled in an unfenced open-air market.
For traders like Belita Kasyoka, a longtime vegetable seller, the move to the new facility has brought immediate relief.
“Where we used to be before, we would sit in the sun, in the rain, with donkey and cow dung, we were exposed to everything. But here it is a good place; there is no rain, no sun, no dust, and no dirt,” she said.
Beyond shelter, Belita said security has been the biggest transformation.
“There is security, which we did not have before. Back there, I used to carry everything with me, but here it is good. Whatever remains, I store it here, and when evening comes, I pack everything, lock it inside here, and go home,” she said.
Secure storage areas—supported by dry and cold rooms on the ground floor—mean traders no longer have to transport goods daily or fear overnight losses, a major improvement from the old market where goats roamed freely and vendors constantly guarded their produce.
The facility also includes open-air trading bays, smart stalls, a mothers’ room, a social hall, an ICT centre, a kitchen and modern ablution blocks, all designed to support hygienic and environmentally sustainable operations.
During the official handover, President William Ruto inspected the market and transferred its management to the County Government of Kitui. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Governor Julius Malombe attended the ceremony.
Belita recalled her emotional exchange with the President during his visit.
“I even called him my customer, come closer, what do you want to be sold? He came, greeted me, and we talked. I felt so happy. In my whole life, I have never gone near a President… never been greeted like that with a handshake,” she said.
The modern market is expected to boost Kamuwongo’s economic activity, strengthen small businesses and draw more customers—an upgrade residents say restores dignity to traders long underserved by inadequate infrastructure.
