Traders in Nairobi have abandoned a multi-million market constructed for them and run by the Kenya Railways Corporation.
Speaking to the press on Saturday, March 5, some of the traders revealed that they had left the Mukuru Reli Market in Nairobi's Donholm are due to extremely low customer traffic flow, against the high cost of doing business within the city.
The traders further disclosed that they had been turned off by the market's poor management despite its relatively low rental charges.
The market has 900 stalls but has an occupancy of less than 10 traders, a situation that has left many in shock, owing to the public resources pumped into the facility by President Uhuru Kenyatta's government.
The market was constructed with the aim of moving the traders away from the railway line but most of them have since returned. According to the government, the relocation was necessary for the safety of traders, who encroaching on land reserve and putting their lives at risk.
"There are no customers at the market. Right now we are just hustling because we also pay security we have to pay for even after we have closed," David Onyango, a trader, told Citizen TV.
Another trader corroborated his story arguing that she has been forced to move from her stole in search of customers in order to make a sale, because of the extremely low number of customers being witnessed at the market.
When the authorities constructed the market it was meant to address the needs of traders and customers from the sprawling Kibera and Mukuru slums.
The traders are, however, forced to move lamenting that a bridge under construction to connect Mukuru and Donholm is yet to be completed.
"We cannot get into the Market at Mukuru because they have not built a flyover and the roads leading to the market," Charles Mwema explained.
An official from the Reli Market, however, explained that before its construction, there had been public participation which resolved to construct three flyovers as well as roads.
The official further admitted that the roads are yet to be constructed.
