Governor Barasa orders audit of stalled Sh178m Sichirai market

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has directed an audit of the stalled Sh178 Million Sichirai ultra-modern market initiated by his predecessor Wycliffe Oparanya.

The market located in Shieywe ward, Lurambi sub-county in the outskirts of Kakamega town was expected to house traders who were evicted from Kakamega Town centre a year ago but has since stalled. 

"I am not happy at all with the progress despite the fact that the contractor has been paid a huge percentage of what he is supposed to pocket," said Barasa. 

"What has been paid is almost 90 per cent but on the ground we have less than 80 per cent job done when it should be complete for the good of wananchi." 

The market was meant to be completed early last year but has since stalled for one year after it was launched by former Governor Wycliffe Oparanya two years ago.

The governor directed the county's internal audit team to speed up the audit and table to him a report in two weeks.

The governor said the county has almost 12 market projects across the county especially in municipality areas and the audit would as well extend to the projects.

"I want to get a report from our technical team, with regard to the balance of works and the value of the balance of works, this will help us to make some decisions going forward,” he said.

"I want to know what we need to do for Shichirayi market project to be completed in the next two months."

He feared that the World Bank which had sponsored the construction of the market would shy away from supporting the county in future if the completion of the market stalled.

The market is funded by the World Bank through the Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP) and was prioritized in the Kakamega Annual Investment Plan for the Financial Year 2019-2020.  

The project was to accommodate 6,000 traders who are operating from Kakamega town in bid to decongest the town, expand it and elevate it to the city stature. 

In 2020 Kakamega first governor Oparanya demolished traders' stalls which saw more than 6,000 being left without a place to operate from. 

The traders were to be relocated to the Sichirayi market with those affected expected to be given first priority but the move has sinced stopped due to the stalled market project. 

Maryanne Mwaura, the site manager who represented the contractor said the delay of the project was occasioned due to work issues. 

She however said the contractor is committed to ensure the construction of the market is completed in one month. 

"We want to assure the residents and the county that we are looking forward to complete the project in the next 30 days. We had some work challenges but are on course," said Mwaura.   

The project was also to house a bus park to help streamline transport business for matatu and boda boda operators. 

The county government had already started tarmacking the road leading to the market and installing floodlights around the facility.  

Mathews Keya, a trader, said there was no public participation at the inception of the new market project.

"we just heard that the new market was under construction, we are not ready to move until our concerns are looked into," he said. 

Keya said the new site is far from town where the epicentre of trade.