Two years after the commissioning of the Oyugis Modern Market, traders operating from the facility, are an unhappy lot due to low volumes of business.
The market, with a capacity to host 1,319 traders, has 746 sheds, 380 stalls,4 restaurants and 14 stalls.
It opened its gates on February of 2022 and has provided a conducive environment for many traders.
However, the traders have since been complaining that despite having sheds and stalls to do their businesses, they are facing, challenges of poor sales.
Beslyne Atieno who sells groceries (Mama Mboga), says that despite the allocations of the modern stalls, most of the traders have fled the market, to sell outside due to low business.
Joseph Adino, a trader in a retail shop, says he has to pay a monthly rent of Ksh 3,000 but the sales are too low to cover the expenses.
“There are rarely any customers on a daily basis, as most of the buyers prefer to buy outside the market and this is a big loss for most traders, within the new modern market,” he says.
Most of the traders within the market, also have similar complaints, saying that they incurred losses in their businesses.
The business community called on the County government, to lower the rent charged on the stalls and reduce taxes, to enable them stay afloat.
They also called on a ban on selling or hawking of merchandise on walk ways and streets to curb unfair competition.
