Residents of Gatunga in Tharaka Nithi County are eagerly awaiting the completion of the modern Gatunga Market, a project already transforming lives through job creation and improved business opportunities.
Speaking at the construction site, site foreman Benson Rangira said the project has created employment opportunities for many local residents since construction began last year.
“I came here in August last year, though I had been visiting the site even before the project officially started,” said Rangira. “Since the work began, people from this area have really appreciated the project because many of them have been getting jobs here.”
According to him, most of the workers currently employed at the site are residents from Gatunga and the surrounding areas, although the project has also attracted workers from other regions due to the growing labour demand.
“At times we have more than 50 workers on site, so we cannot rely only on people from this area only. We also employ people from outside, especially students and women,” he explained.
A central pillar of President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) is the modernization of local trading hubs to improve the dignity and productivity of traders.
President Ruto has frequently emphasized that his administration aims to move traders from “the streets and mud” into “modern markets with electricity, water, and storage facilities” viewing these as the engines of the local economy.
The foreman said excitement among traders and residents has continued to grow as the market nears completion, with many locals frequently visiting the site to check on the progress.
“People are very happy with this project and they keep asking us when it will be completed so they can move in. For now, due to regulations, not everyone can access the site, but market leaders are allowed in and they already know how impressive it looks,” he said.
He added that the modern market is expected to boost economic activities in Gatunga by supporting small-scale traders, boda boda operators and suppliers within the region.
“The government’s target was to support ‘mama mboga’ traders and boda boda riders, and this market will really help them. Traders will no longer struggle to transport goods by themselves because suppliers will be bringing products directly to the market.” He said.
“Even boda boda riders are already benefiting from the increased activity,” Rangira added.
The facility is also expected to improve convenience for traders and customers through modern amenities such as a kitchen, ICT section and cold storage facilities.
He further explained that the inclusion of cold rooms will help traders dealing with perishable goods such as tomatoes and vegetables reduce post-harvest losses.
Once complete, the Gatunga Market is expected to become a major economic hub in Tharaka Nithi, improving trade, creating more employment opportunities and offering modern services to local businesses and residents.
The region is also set to benefit from development activities within the county as the Mioponi- Gatunga road road also surges towards completion. This will complete a cycle making trade activities in the region more fluid.
