Construction works has kicked off on a Sh 700million modern market and a bus park in Nakuru County. Nakuru Municipal Board Manager Gitau Thabanja confirmed the report and said that the projects aim decongesting the Central Business District and boosting agriculture in the region.
The project are located at the Old Fire station in Bondeni Estate within Nakuru East Sub-county. The five-storey complex is set to complement Nakuru’s Top Market and Wakulima markets which are located within the Central Business District a kilometer away and the Sh 47million market still under construction at London trading centre, within Nakuru West Sub-County.
The building will be able to handle at least 150 tonnes of fresh produce. It will be fitted with sections to cater for textiles, cereals and jua kali sheds and will serve at least 100,000 residents, 6,500 of them being farmers from surrounding areas.
Largest market in Nakuru
Upon completion, it will be the largest in the County, and will also serve as a wholesale source for bananas, mangoes, avocadoes, potatoes, passion fruits, water melons, sukuma wiki and cabbages which are produced in neighbouring Sub-Counties.
The Sh 100 million modern bus terminus and parking lot for private vehicles at the site is the phase two bit of the project. According to the board manager, the Old Fire Station and its adjoining County slaughter house was decommissioned to create space for a modern market and bus terminus.
“The relocation of these social amenities will decongest the CBD and lead to orderly development and expansion of the town,” said the Municipal Manager.
The markets under construction were strategically located for easy access by farmers from Rongai, Bahati, Njoro, Molo and Subukia Sub-Counties which are major producers of vegetables, fruits, cereals, poultry products, meat and milk.
