Threats, deception and a neglected Sh 47 million market (Part 1)

Just meters away from the famous revamped Nakuru Gioto dumpsite along the Nakuru-Kabarak road, lies a dome-shaped roof with blue iron sheets.

Its integrity has been severely compromised with perpetrators having forcibly extracted the support pillars that once held up the curved roof and are now taking off part of the iron sheets.

The dilapidated facility, originally intended to serve as a modern market for local traders and handle at least 60 tons of fresh vegetables, was meant to complement the Nakuru Top and Wakulima markets located within the Central Business District, therefore reducing congestion.

This is a Sh 47million establishment.

A walk into and around it exposes the supposedly established gates marked for entrance and exit, which have been left with worn-out pillars made out of concrete, as the chicken and barbed wires making the perimeter fence have been removed.

Other structures surrounding the market, including what appears to be a watchman's shed, offices, and the ablution block, have all had their metallic doors vandalised with some window panes missing and others broken.

The gutters intended to direct rainwater have been removed, leaving only what holds them in place.

In an article published in a daily paper dated January 8, 2021, it was stated that the funds for the construction of this market were lobbied as part of a grant by the previous county administration and the area member of parliament in 2021.

On the side of the somewhat hilly and rocky terrain, young men speak loudly among themselves about how this market has consumed a lot of money with no value to show for it.

Mtaa Wangu sought to highlight this multimillion-shilling investment that has recently sparked outrage on social media.

Our team spoke to a resident who, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, shared their insights on the project.

Theodore*, not his real name, takes us through the market's inception and the events that followed.

"It all started in 2021 when some of us were called for what was presented as a job opportunity meeting. However, the conversation quickly shifted to discussions about a market and how it would benefit residents selling their products," he recalls.

During this meeting, when concerns were raised about the market's proximity to the road potentially drawing KeNHA's attention, residents were assured not to worry as the county had already approved the structure.

“We were in the dark about the design, cost, and even the contractor who would lead the construction. The only promise was that many of us would get jobs,” Theodore explains.

He reveals that they only realized they were participating in a public participation exercise, when they were asked to sign documents with their names and ID numbers.

As with any development project requiring community approval, construction commenced, and as promised, many local youths were employed.

Theodore remembers the structure's completion in 2022, just before the election period, which is when they discovered its true cost.

“It was shocking to learn about the project's cost through newspapers. We couldn't understand how such a modest structure could cost that much,” Theodore explains.

“The consensus was that the size didn't justify the cost. This led us to conduct a social audit in early 2023, after which we raised these concerns in a letter to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).”

Everything took a turn for the worse after a politician allegedly got wind of the issue and called a meeting with some area residents around July or August of that year.

“After this 'get-together', the market's condition deteriorated rapidly. First, the three water tanks disappeared, followed by the doors, then windows were broken, and parts of the fence and gates vanished. Throughout this initial phase, the market shed remained intact,” Theo recalls.

Tomorrow: Who is responsible for construction of the market and are there plans to rehabilitate the worn our structure?