This archive report was first published on 28 October 2019.
When President Uhuru Kenyatta officially opened Karatina market in November last year, traders were optimistic that business would flourish after an eight-year wait. However, the multi-million-shilling project has failed to meet expectations, with about 70 stalls remaining unoccupied.
Traders complain of unregulated business in the market, where those operating on the upper floors are at a disadvantage due to similar items being sold in the open-air area. The ground floor, where vendors arrange fruits, vegetables, and other farm produce, is the only area experiencing brisk business.
Dispirited traders claim that customers rarely leave the ground floor after making purchases, leaving them with little to no sales. Joel Wachira, a mango seller, lamented, "All the foodstuffs we are selling up here are available in the open-air area. We should have been allowed to hire stalls by balloting."
The market's sanitation problem is another major concern, with traders staring at a possible disease outbreak due to poor hygiene caused by lack of drainage and uncollected garbage. The county government privatized the management of toilets, but they closed after two weeks due to lack of business.
Traders and customers are forced to walk down to the ground floor to relieve themselves, while others frequent the toilets in neighboring bars. Eunice Wambui's business is located next to a shut toilet, and her clients have fled due to a pungent smell emanating from a soiled floor and wall near her stall.
County Governor Mutahi Kahiga attributed the sanitation problem to having too many toilets and not enough traders. He also defended the segregation of trading sections, stating that it was meant to bring order in the market. However, traders like Wambui took issue with the segregation, saying it was unfair and that they should be allowed to operate anywhere within the market.
Despite the county government's efforts to lower rents from Sh4,000 to Sh1,500, few traders have taken up the offer. The market's contractor has been blamed for not installing a proper drainage system, leading to the current sanitation issues.
