The Kiambu government on Saturday opened a major market but insisted traders and buyers must observe social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Traders at Wangige market in Kabete subcounty were happy to resume work after the facility was closed three weeks ago, soon after Health CS Mutahi Kagwe advised people to avoid crowding.
Governor James Nyoro ordered the closure of all markets as his government sought a strategy to reopen them since residents needed to sell and buy.
"When all markets were closed, Wangige was one of them. It also happened to have been on rehabilitation and today we open it," he said.
Nyoro said one of the strategies they put in place was monitoring social distancing inside the market to avoid spreading coronavirus.
"We do not want to go against the Ministry of Health advice on social distancing. We want to ensure there will be a distance between traders and customers. We will not accept crowding," he said.
The governor urged local water companies to ensure the hand washing tanks in the market have water all the time so as to observe hygiene.
"My officers will monitor the market's hygiene everyday and every hour," he warned.
Trader Nice Wanjiru said they formed a anti-Covid-19 squad to ensure hygiene was observed in the market.
Another trader, Solomon Mburu, said they made losses after their perishable goods failed to get customers.
Mburu urged the government to enlarge the market, saying traders were over 500. The market could accommodate less than 400 traders if social distancing was observed.
"Some of our people will be left outside so that we do not crowd. They will be operating from where we were as the construction was ongoing," he explained.
However, Nyoro said the market's design was affected by the Western bypass, which is under construction.
The road passes Wangige town from Gitaru along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway all the way to Ruaka.
He said his government was lobbying for funds to build an underpass in Wangige town to maintain trade.
"We will not accept to see Wangige subdivided by this road. It is important to us. We need to think about our trade and interactions. That is why we are lobbying for funds for an underpass before the contractor moves away," he said.
Edited by Henry Makori