KISUMU – Market leaders and traders in Kisumu have expressed their disapproval of recent demonstrations aimed at the county government by some business operators.
According to Kenya News Agency, Ms. Matengo, also known as Nyaramba, during a press briefing at the Milimani Law Courts on Thursday, the core issue prompting the protests stems from disputes over market stalls, involving landlords who do not actively participate in the market’s daily businesses.
Nyaramba explained that the real challenge for traders in Kisumu has historically been the influence of cartels, rather than the traders themselves. She recounted how, prior to Governor Anyang Nyong’o’s administration, cartels would impose daily fees of Sh 500 on traders and sell stalls for between Sh 20,000 to Sh 30,000. “Governor Nyong’o played a crucial role in eliminating the cartels, allowing us to become stall owners in markets such as Uhuru, Jubilee, and Chichwa,” she stated, highlighting the improvement in the situation for market traders under the current county leadership.
The protests, which saw participants marching to Governor Nyong’o’s office on Wednesday to demand the dismissal of the City Manager, were criticized by the market leaders. They argued that such actions disrupt the positive business environment in Kisumu. Jubilee Market Chairman, Martin Oluoch, also spoke out against the demonstrations, clarifying that market leadership structures are independent across the city’s markets, and no collective decision to protest had been made.
Nyaramba and Oluoch emphasized the adverse effects of the demonstrations on business and called for those involved, particularly those from the Kisumu Bus Park due for relocation to Mowlem-Nyamasaria, to reconsider their approach to resolving disputes. Traders like Charles Nyambega from Jubilee Market and Betty Anyango from Uhuru Market also voiced their concerns, urging for more trading spaces and for vendors to operate within market confines for better organization and governance.
