Background to the project
The Kakamega Municipal Council is charged with the responsibility of providing modern market stalls for traders within the town, among other services. In the past, the Council has tried to provide these facilities.
However, due to a surge in population, which has led to the proliferation of numerous market centres, it has not been easy for the Council to adequately provide residents with proper facilities for the smooth conduct of business.
The open air market traders, fish dealers and hawkers travel from far and wide every day. Therefore, any health hazards posed by the market arising from poor sanitation and overcrowding may be felt in a wide area of the Western region.
The most affected are women traders at the market who carry along with them their children.
Others are the business community, public service operators and users, small scale traders (hawkers) and fish dealers.
It is the responsibility of the Kakamega Municipal Council to provide modern public sanitary facilities within the market.
These would replace the existing pit latrines.
Relevance of the project
The project, estimated to cost Ksh 148m (US$1.7m) will act as a pilot project that can be used to gauge the possible success of such developments with the aim of possible replication in other areas within the Council’s jurisdiction.
The project is geared towards restructuring the existing market with a view to increase the number of stalls to 420 and reducing the amount of human waste and other waste that is discharged into the open environment.
The skills imparted shall go along way in making sure that the Council acts as a leader in innovation and awareness creation as far as modernization of the markets and sanitation issues are concerned. During the implementation of the project, the Council will work with the residents, business community, small scale traders, fish dealers and women.
The main beneficiaries of the project are the Municipal Council of Kakamega (who stand to collect revenues exceeding Ksh 4,200,000 (US$50,000) per year in licenses and rent, small scale traders, fish dealers as well as women and children who accompany their mothers to the market. The project kicked off in January 2011 and was expected to go on for 72 weeks.
However, as with every construction project, some challenges arose. These included the heavy rains that pounded the area, slowing down works considerably. Matching levels with the road was also a challenge.
Project Team
Architects: Arch Concepts
Main contractor: Channa Construction Ltd
Plumbing: Plumbuild Engineering Ltd
Electrical installations: Raicha’s Electro Services
Quantity Surveyors: Ujenzi Consultants
Structural Engineers: Interconsult Consulting Engineers
Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: Gedox Associates Engineers
