Feature: How County gradually changed tune over Sh 107 million Karai market

When the Susan Kihika administration took office in 2022, they were selective in choosing priority projects to adopt and expedite.

However, two years later, the tune changed, with the government now acknowledging that new information has come up and that some projects were not subjected to public participation.

One such project is the Naivasha Smart Fish Market in the Karai area of Naivasha, along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway. Its mega skeletal structure lies idle and unattended.

Mtaa Wangu did a deep dive, into past reports.

We found that the market was first mentioned, on February 9, 2023, through Governor Susan Kihika’s personal website susankihika.com.

At the time, her administration Trade Chief Officer Samwel Ndegwa, and acting Trade Director Josephat Kimemia convened a roundtable meeting with contractors and stakeholders. 

The article goes on to explain that the purpose of the meeting was to identify and address potential challenges that might hinder the project’s progress.

“Governor Susan Kihika’s commitment to completing ongoing projects, as outlined in her manifesto, adds weight to the urgency of ensuring the timely delivery of the Naivasha smart fish market. The market, also known as the Karai Fish market, holds the promise of revolutionizing the fish trading business not only in Nakuru County but also in the wider region,” it reads.

Kihika goes on to explain that the project stands at 70 percent completion, with expectations set for it to be fully operational within the next six months. 

In October 16 of the same year, Kihika says her administration is taking swift measures to operationalize the Karai Fish Market, poised to bring a significant transformation to the fish trading sector within Nakuru County and the larger region.

This time round, Stephen Kuria, the County Trade executive is boots on the ground accompanied by Trade Chief Officer Mr. Samuel Ndegwa, who both emphasize the urgency of the project’s completion and stress their commitment to the project’s successful implementation.

Just like in February, the goal is to prioritize the construction of a perimeter wall, an abolition block, and water piping to ensure the market’s functionality and gear it toward its completion.

Fast forward, to September 5 2024, on the Nakuru County government- official Facebook page, Dr. Samuel Mwaura, in the company of CECMs Stephen Kuria (Trade) and Michael Kamau (Infrastructure) visited what according to them was the ‘stalled’ Karai Fish Market in Naivasha East Ward.

According to the post, the purpose of the visit was to assess the progress of the project and discuss the budgetary requirements needed to complete and operationalize the facility within the next six months.

Here, Dr. Mwaura emphasizes the importance of expediting the process and urges engineers to prepare a comprehensive Bill of Quantities (BQ).

In a recent press briefing held on February 14, 2025, the County Secretary addressed concerns surrounding several projects including the stalled Naivasha Smart Fish Market project claiming neglect of proper oversight by elected leaders in Nakuru County.

According to him, a circular issued by him dated January 23, 2025 was meant to inject sustainability and efficiency of projects through user training, community engagement and mobilization.

“Through this initiative, the county aims to improve community ownership of projects, timely completion, avoid costs of delay, and increase our uptake on projects. It is evidently clear, from the past, that we have lost millions of shillings due to lack of sustainability of projects,” he said during the presser stating examples that ‘suffice’.

One of which was the Karai Fish Market.

Construction of the market began immediately after its commissioning in August 2021, with an ambitious completion deadline set for December of the same year.

Then, according to numerous reports the project was supposed to cost Sh. 239 million and was envisioned as a solution to public health concerns about fish being hawked along the busy highway.

Today, the presser clarified that the Sh. 350 million project has so far cost Sh. 107 million which can be broken down to Sh. 89 million for market shed, Sh. 9 million for a borehole and another Sh. 9 Million for a fence.

“Yet we have no market for traders,” Dr. Mwaura said, adding that they held meetings on January 24 and 29 this year with the community and fishermen and it became evident that the project is devoid of community ownership.

“The community would prefer a vegetable market at the current site while fishermen would prefer the market located at one of the landing beaches along the lake,” he said.

He went on to say that the borehole was drilled without geological experts and only produces one cubic meter of water per hour which is costly.

“Had there been community ownership, Sh. 107 million would not have gone to waste,” Dr. Mwaura said.

The market is a partnership between the county government, the Eastern Africa Grain Council, and the Rockefeller Foundation.