This archive report was first published on 5 November 2021.
For decades, the sight of people hawking fresh fish along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway has been a common occurrence, with some fish sellers being maimed or killed by speeding vehicles.
However, the situation is set to change with the construction of a Sh249 million fish market along the highway, courtesy of a partnership between Nakuru County government and the Eastern Africa Grain Council.
The first phase of the market, located at Karai, about 10 kilometres from Naivasha town, is expected to be completed by the end of the year, according to Janet Ngombaku, from the Eastern Africa Grain Council.
"The contractor is already on the site and we expect the first phase of the market to be ready by December 31," Ngombaku said.
The modern market will have storage facilities and will be served by solar energy, with value addition before the fish is sold, Ngombaku added.
Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja, whose ward the market is located in, welcomed the initiative, saying it will bring an end to the deaths and injuries of fish traders along the highway.
"This will now be a thing of the past as the fish traders will now operate within the market that will also benefit vegetable sellers from neighbouring areas," Karanja said.
Naivasha sub-county administrator Samuel Wamae assured that fish hawkers will be given priority when distributing stalls in the market.
"The first phase will benefit those selling fish along the highway," Wamae said.
