Migori County through the ministry of lands and urban planning has rolled out plans to relocate unlicensed traders operating along the major highways in order to uplift the face of the major towns in the county.
Beginning with Migori town, the facelift of the major towns in the County is intended to do away with the unlicensed market structures and kiosks along Omboo highway.
Speaking about the program, the County Executive Committee Member for roads and urban planning, Mr John K’obado said that the program will only relocate the traders operating in unapproved structures.
“There are structures that were built without plans that must be done away with to create space for new proper planned structures.” Said Mr K’obado.
Mr K’obado said that the county urban planning committee is keen to ensure a smooth transition of traders from unplanned structures to modern markets.
While addressing the affected traders along the Omboo highway, he added that the county will be taking keen consideration of the income of the traders before allocating the rooms at Omboo Modern Market.
The move by the county urban planning committee comes after the overnight vandalism of the kiosks by the county government on allegations that the owners had disobeyed the notice from the county government.
“We are trying to find ways of ensuring that those who have been affected are resettled even after going beyond the period they were given to vacate.” Added the Executive Committee Member.
Far from the resettlement of the traders to Omboo Modern Market, the move will also be connecting the traders from Migori central business district to ensure that the traders find clean spaces on the modern stalls.
“We have plans to connect the traders from the central business district to the modern market at Omboo as a way of reorganizing business and enabling free trade.” Added Mr K’obado.
According to the CEC member, the connection will be enabled by the construction of a road through the Jua Kali area in order to make easy market access the artisan products.
“We are focused to boost the sales of traders through reorganization and delocalization of the markets in the region that will ease the access of the products into the markets.” Said Mr K’obado.
However, the residents complained of laxity by the county government officially opening the Omboo modern market that was officially opened in June 2022, a project that consumed a tune of 84 million shillings.
The modern market was constructed by the county government of Migori, supported by the World Bank to cater for the ever-galloping population compared to the demand for commodities.
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