Traders at the ongoing Embu Modern Market project have expressed optimism that the new facility will transform business operations, create more opportunities for small-scale traders and improve livelihoods across Embu County.
Speaking at the market, Esther Wambui Kariuki, a resident of Kirimare and a businesswoman at the market, said the new multi-storey facility marks a major improvement from the old one-floor structure.
According to Esther, traders were temporarily relocated to pave the way for the construction, while elected representatives from the Project Management Committee (PMC) have been overseeing the implementation process to ensure the project meets traders’ expectations.
“The construction is progressing well and it is almost complete. Once it is finished, all traders who were relocated to other markets will return here because this market is spacious enough to accommodate everyone,” she said.
She noted that the new market will help consolidate traders into one central location, making it easier for customers to access goods and services while boosting daily business activity.
“When traders are scattered in different places, businesses do not perform well. But when everyone operates in one market, customers can access products easily and traders become more profitable,” Esther explained.
The modern market is also expected to solve long-standing challenges faced by traders dealing in perishable goods. Esther said the facility includes cooling systems that will help preserve fresh produce for longer periods, reducing losses caused by spoilage.
“Previously, traders selling vegetables and other perishables suffered losses because goods spoiled quickly. With coolers in this new market, products can stay fresh for more than a week,” she added.
Beyond business, Esther praised the market’s inclusive amenities, including designated breastfeeding spaces for mothers.
“This market even has a breastfeeding area where mothers can comfortably take care of their infants while continuing with business. That is very important for women traders,” she said.
She described the project as a clear reflection of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, saying the facility resembles modern international markets.
“I have never seen such a smart market since I started doing business. We have moved from a one-floor building to a fully developed multi-storey market with separate floors for clothes and foodstuffs. This is real Bottom Up and shows we are heading towards ‘Singapore’ standards,” Esther remarked.
She further urged the government to continue investing in modern market infrastructure across the country, saying such projects create self-employment opportunities and improve the economic well-being of ordinary citizens.
