The Government will inject an additional Ksh 300 million into the construction of a second market in West Pokot County in January 2027, following concerns that the ongoing Makutano Modern Market project will not accommodate the growing number of traders.
President William Ruto announced the additional investment after assessing construction progress at the Ksh 147 million Makutano Modern Market in Kapenguria Constituency on Friday during his development tour of West Pokot County.
The existing market is 69 per cent complete and is scheduled for completion in December 2026.
The decision to build another market follows an assessment that the facility under construction will not provide sufficient space for the growing number of traders.
The additional investment is expected to expand trading capacity in the area, providing more room for businesses and supporting local economic activity.
The market forms part of the Government’s broader investment programme in West Pokot, which includes roads, affordable housing and electricity connectivity.
During the tour, President Ruto interacted with residents of Makutano town and outlined development programmes being implemented in the region to transform lives and livelihoods.
He also addressed residents in Sigor, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to placing West Pokot at the centre of its transformation agenda.
Infrastructure investment featured prominently during the visit. The President inspected the 35-kilometre Kopasi River-Lomut-Sigor-Marich Pass road, a KSh4.4 billion project that is 60 per cent complete.
The road forms part of the wider Nakuru-Marich Pass Road, which is intended to provide an alternative to the Nakuru-Eldoret route, reduce the journey to Lodwar by 70 kilometres and cut travel time by more than two hours.
The President said Government investments in roads, modern markets, affordable housing and electricity connectivity were already yielding tangible results, including an increase in land values of more than tenfold.
The planned second market adds to the development commitments announced during Friday’s tour, with the Government seeking to expand infrastructure and economic opportunities in West Pokot.
