Modern market to be built in Namanga, Kajiado County

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Principal Secretary in the State Department for East African Community, Dr. Kevit Desai and Kajiado County Commissioner Joshua Nkanata (centre) tour the One Stop Border Post in Namanga.

A new modern market is set to be built in Namanga town of Kajiado County to reduce congestion within the One Stop Border Post(OSBP).

Ministry of East Africa Community and Regional  Development in partnership with Kajiado County government will build the market on a 500-acre piece of land to ensure smooth exchange of goods.

 State Department for East African Community Principal Secretary,Dr. Kevit Desai noted that at least 1,300 trucks pass through the Namanga OSBP daily as well as thousands of travellers criss-crossing the border and added traders need a strategic place to sell their wares.

“Service delivery around our border areas must be improved to ensure movement of goods continues to flow without interruptions as the transportation of cargo is critical to the sustainability of the economy. Therefore we have deemed it wise to look for an alternative land where we will build a modern market for our small scale traders especially those that depend on the border traffic,” Dr Desai said.

The PS reiterated the importance of practising safe trade especially at this time of the Covid -19 pandemic saying it is key to the survival of the economy.

“ Movement of goods is critical for any nation and we are not different therefore as a Ministry we have engaged friendly development partners and requested the Personal Protective Gears (PPEs) for our staff as they continue to discharge their mandate, to protect them from contracting Covid-19 since already this area has been defined as a hot spot area,” he said.

In his sentiments, Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku lauded the move terming it as a major lift to propel the small business enterprises into the new era of conducting business.