Residents of Narok County hired to work at the
construction site of the modern market being constructed at the Suswa shopping
centre, go about their work during a tour by the Office of Government
Spokesperson /MATHEW GWEDO
Traders at the busy Suswa shopping centre
in Narok County have suffered for a long time as they do their business under harsh environmental conditions marked by scorching sun, rains, squelching mud, and choking dust, which affects them with different health conditions.
Many were they, who could not afford to hire an indoor space for their business. Thus, they were left with no option but to work in the direct distressing sun, drenching rains, and clouds of dust, which most of the time destroyed their products.
This is, however, bound to be a thing of the past following the government’s ambitious program to construct modern markets for traders across the country.
Once it is fully constructed, Suswa modern market will be a real game changer project for the residents of the Narok County, being a high potential agricultural zone.
It is currently 95 percent complete and forms part of the first cluster of the 10 markets earmarked to be put up in the County as promised by President William Ruto in line with the BETA plan.
The facility comes complete with a ramp for the elderly and persons with disabilities, a lactation room, an ICT hub for actualization of digital skills and e-commerce, a social hall for meetings and a cold room for storage of perishable goods.
It also harbors a 30,000 cubic metre water storage tank to supply the market and its environs, a kitchen and an eatery.
The eatery will not only provide food to the traders as they go about their businesses and their would-be customers but will also render a ready market for the suppliers of agricultural products.
The market being put up by the State Department for Housing and Urban Development under the Economic Stimulus Program (ESP) gives hope to the local women and young traders.
These resilient women are optimistic that they will do their businesses well under a better and more dignified marketplace and even enlarge them through the hustler fund program.
“The project is designed to positively impact the lives of more than 200 small traders. It will not only transform their lives but also give them motivation, joy and stability in their businesses where they once did them with hardship,” said the Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura as he led a team from his Office accompanied by his two Deputies Mr. Gabriel Muthuma and Mwanaisha Chidzuga to a two-day tour of government projects in the region.
Mwaura said the government was on track in delivering the projects that were promised to Kenyans and urged them to continue supporting President William Ruto's government so that he can actualise the plan he has for them.
"Indeed the government is delivering the plan and its promises to Kenyans, changing many lives at the grassroots," he noted.
Traders display their wares for sale at the Suswa
shopping centre open air market /MATHEW GWEDO
His deputy, Mwanaisha Chidzuga, added that President William Ruto was a listening leader and has a high respect for women.
"Our president is a listening leader, and he values and mentors women and the youth into leadership. Here, he is providing you with a good modern market with even a lactation room in it," she observed.
Muthuma, on his part, explained that the Government was working towards delivering the plan for Kenyans, which will transform their livelihood.
"The plan that president William
Ruto is working towards implementing is good for Kenyan,s and it will transform all
our lives. Let us continue supporting the government for a better tomorrow and a
better Kenya," Mr. Muthuma advised.
To the traders at the Suswa shopping centre, it is not just a project. It is their beacon of hope envisioned to turn their past pains into economic power and their struggles into success.
Pauline Teka, a 33 years old villager in Suswa, working as a security guard at the market’s construction site, narrates how the construction of the market has benefitted her and her fellow villagers as it assisted in giving them jobs through which they have been earning a living.
"I work as a security officer at this market construction site and since I started this job I can provide for my children’s basic needs with ease without the struggles I used to go through when I was jobless," says Teka adding that she had also managed to open a side hustle from her savings.
Teka expresses her gratitude and appreciation to the government for coming up with such a project, saying that whatever she earns there has helped her get a business of her own.
Another resident, Pauline Karanja, also working at the construction site, stated that the job opportunities they get at the site had empowered quite a number of them who were jobless and urged for more projects from the government.
Police officers warn residents against storming into the new modern market at Suswa shopping during a tour of the facility by the office of government spokesperson /MATHEW GWEDO
"This has highly assisted us; we have been working here for the last 8 months, and I can tell you that through this construction, I have been able to buy a water tank that has enabled me to start a water business in my village," she revealed.
Gideon Naadokila a resident in Suswa was similarly full of praise for the government because of the beneficial project noting that their mothers and wives were once suffering while doing business at the open air space where they scalded from direct sun but through president William Ruto's government they now have a proper modern facility that is currently 95 percent complete and will assist them greatly.
"We want to tell president William Ruto that this facility will highly assist our mothers and wives. They were suffering, and we, the youths and elders of Suswa, are glad that he has given us a good facility from which we will do business," Naadokila said.
James Oleparikire an elder from the area, also lauded the Government for fulfilling the market promise to the people and also appealed to president William Ruto to also consider the elderly whom he said equally need a shade at their livestock business centre in Suswa.
"We appreciate the Government for assisting our women but we the elders, also require to have a shade at our livestock business shades so us to do our livestock business smoothly," Oleparikire said.
The Enoosupukia location chief, Danson
Renson, says that the construction of the market had given job opportunities to
the locals, transforming their livelihoods.
He notes that most traders used to encounter losses with their business products going bad due to harsh weather conditions but with the new market things are bound to change for better boosting the trade as most travelers make a stop over there to shop for the products.
