Ruto Speaks on Eldoret Market Row

President William Ruto has finally made his stand known in regards to the row over the closed Eldoret retail market.

The market has been closed for over a month now.

While it was to be opened after a week, there has been indications that it will remain closed, until at least the end of the year.

Closure of the market has been a subject of concerns amongst some traders whose livelihoods depended on it.

During a Christmas Day thanksgiving service at the Eldoret Sports Club, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii Chelilim sought the intervention of the President to address the matter.

“If it pleases you, we don’t want to keep fighting over the market. Kindly help us build a multi-complex building…three or four floors so that we accommodate all traders,” Chelilim asked the Head of State.

He noted that the Eldoret retail market has only 900 stalls and yet there are at least 4,000 traders.

Bigger market

Ruto, responding to Chelilim’s request said his administration would build a new market in the town – bigger than the current one.

“We will built a new one and it will be bigger so that you don’t keep fighting over who operates from where,” the Head of State said.

He further revealed that he will soon send the Lands and Public Works Cabinet Secretary to handle the matter.

According to Ruto, the market that the government plans to build will accommodate more traders and will also have a parking lot.

“You can’t fight over a small market and I’m here,” he said.

The market was closed after chaotic battles between trader and enforcement officers that culminated in looting and destruction of properties.

Already, the county has established a taskforce to probe the chaos.

The taskforce is expected to provide a report that will give a way forward over the market’s reopening.

But while traders await the report, there has been a suggestion from Simat/Kapseret MCA for the market to be converted into a parking.

Meanwhile, traders were forced to relocate their operations to markets without Eldoret town.

Some of them include Kimumu/Bahati Wholesale market, the one one located in Kahoya, Kuinet as well as Kapseret.