This archive report was first published on 4 September 2021.
Traders in Makueni County are reeling from losses incurred after the cancellation of the seventh Devolution Conference, which was scheduled to take place from August 23 to 26.
Businessmen and women in Makueni, including boda boda operators, hoteliers, and suppliers, had anticipated a windfall from the conference. However, the cancellation has left them counting losses.
According to Albanus Mndaisy, a boda boda operator, the traders had taken Covid-19 jabs and invested in their motorbikes, taking loans to service them in anticipation of the conference.
“We took Covid-19 jabs as advised, about 400 of us, we had standard requirements for the motorbikes because we expected to carry dignitaries,” Mndaisy said.
Ma-Wote Boda Boda Sacco chair James Sami added that the boda boda riders had arranged with the police to operate within a confined region and adhere to rules.
“We had had arranged with the police to only allow certain boda boda riders to operate within the confined region and adhere to rules. As the chair, I loaned some members, through the Sacco so they could acquire licences, service their bikes and get helmets,” Sami said.
Traders who had ordered fruits from various farms, such as Veronica, are under pressure from the farmers to pay for the fruits.
“I am currently under pressure from the farmers to pay for the fruits because as I instructed them, they did not sell the fruits to anyone else,” Veronica said.
Christine Mutuku, the chair of Marikiti Grocers Association in Wote, said the losses have caused them sleepless nights.
“I asked the women who would be vending fruits to have their hair done and get clean or new aprons in order to look presentable during the conference,” Mutuku said.
Anthony Ngunga, the chair of Lower Eastern Hotels and Caterers, said they have a 22-member consortium that was formed two years ago.
“The conference has been cancelled for the third time now, and every time we expected it to happen, stakeholders prepared for it,” Ngunga said.
Ngunga added that the Council of Governors was actively involved in the preparation, and the consortium had negotiated prices based on the numbers, settling on Sh2,400 per plate and Sh500 for VIP tea breaks.
According to Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, the county government itself incurred losses.
“We used a lot of money and we need compensation. We would have used that money on other things,” Kibwana said.
