Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has launched digital registration of traders to place them in county government markets.
The biometric data registration targets to weed out cartels and ensure only genuine traders benefit from the county government projects.
Nyong’o said the programme will not only empower traders with entrepreneurship skills to help them compete in the market but also expose them to vital linkages in the small and medium enterprises sector.
He spoke during the launch of biometric data registration at Sunset Hotel in Kisumu on Friday.
“Through this programme, our traders will have access to insurance, credit facilities, marketing and training. But, more importantly, it will help us to conduct biometric data registration for all traders in Kisumu,” he said.
Nyong’o said the collected data will be of immense importance to the county government as it will ease the delivery of services to traders.
“It is this biometric data that will help us as we allocate stalls to them in any modern markets coming up across the county,” he said.
The county chief announced that the county will soon start allocating stalls at the Sh350 million Uhuru Business Park.
Only traders who will have been registered will be eligible. “We are today experimenting this registration method on a few traders to show how it works. We will then roll it out across the county, starting with Kisumu City,” Nyong’o said.
He said they started the programme to help straighten and sanitise the trade sector whose huge potential has not been tapped due to poor organisation.
Nyong’o noted that trade remains the most important economic pillar in Kisumu, employing thousands of people.
The County Integrated Development Plan II 2018-2022 places market fees as the third highest contributor to locally collected revenue after bus park and trade licenses, he said.
“This accounts for 12 per cent of the total revenue collection from the main revenue streams in FY 2016 and 2017. This explains the significance of trade and markets in planning for the county resource,” Nyong’o said.
“It is for this reason why my government has embarked on a journey to reform the sector.”
Nyong’o said the county must have a bio database for those in the SMEs sector to help traders during these challenging times of Covid-19.
He urged traders across the county to support the registration programme by coming out to register.
“Let no one miss out. Through support from the national government and partners, my government has in the past few months been building new markets and improving existing ones to ensure traders work a conducive environment,” Nyong’o said.
The county, he said, has built the 500 capacity Chichwa market. Uhuru Business Park is 99 per cent complete and will be opened in the coming weeks.
Kibuye and Otonglo markets are under construction with plans to build Nyamasaria and Ong’wono markets are under way.
Outside the City, he said, they have put up modern markets at Kombewa and Awasi. Other markets are coming up in Katito and Pap Onditi in Nyakach subcounty.
Nyong’o appealed to the county residents, specifically traders, to support the county government which is working to improve the business sector.
“Our traders should not continue to trade on the streets under harsh weather conditions. It is going to be a thing of the past under my tenure,” Nyong’o said.
Edited by Henry Makori