By Jabali Media
Traders operating within the expansive Kibuye market in Kisumu County have been urged to remain calm.
Last week, Kisumu City management, led by City Manager Abala Wanga temporarily closed the market and took over the sanitation initiative, aimed at cleaning the marketplace.
On Monday, Wanga accompanied by among others, Kaloleni Shauri Moyo Member of the County Assembly (MCA) Carren Odhiambo, KIWASCO CEO Thomas Odongo and Fredrick Oluoch, Director of Public Health in Kisumu County inspected the market, before the cleaning process officially starts on Tuesday.
Addressing traders at the market, Odhiambo urged them to remain calm, insisting that the market has been closed temporarily and not permanently as it is being alluded to by some people.
“And as you saw there, the place is filthy. We cannot work in such an environment. So, I just want to ask the traders to be calm as we complete the process. It will be done within two to three days, maybe four,” said the first term legislature.
She said traders will most likely be back at the market in the course of next week. “Maybe next week you will be back and you will go on with your work as usual.”
Oluoch said they decided to close the market, after a case of cholera was reported in the area.
“As you are aware, we had some cases of cholera in Kisumu County and most of these cases were from Nyando around Ahero. But we had a case that was coming from around this area. And given that Kibuye market is now the one that supplies food within Kisumu County and other parts of the country, it was very important for us to take appropriate action given that the sanitation condition of the market was not very good,” stated the director.
After going round, the director said they discovered that there is no water for sanitary facilities like toilets within the market.
Additionally, there is no electricity, the drainage system is very poor while waste management and disposal is not there.
“We had to close the market to make sure that we open the drainages. We also have to remove the structures that are blocking drainages,” added Oluoch.
He said they will now embark on proper cleaning of the toilets, reconnecting the water and sewage system so as to ensure the traders work in the right conditions.
“What we want to assure the traders is that before the market is opened, all the ablution blocks will have running water, which is not there at the moment,” added Odongo, the KIWASCO CEO.
Abala Wanga on his part said traders will be allowed to troop back once hygiene and sanitation standards have been restored.
Currently, some of the affected traders have pitched tents at the Uhuru market, while others are selling their wares outside Kibuye market.
