Westlands market has finally been completed and allocations made to traders who previously occupied the market.
In an announcement on the local dailies, the government invited Kenyans with complains about the allocation to address their complains to the Principal Secretary, State Department for Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga on or before June 15.
The construction of the market has seen leaders engaged in a push and pull, with the initial contractor being kicked out midway.
The Ksh195.6 million project will accommodate 500 traders.
Majority of the stalls have been allocated to Kikuyu traders, a matter that did not settle well with a section of Kenyans, while others felt that the government was fair in the allocations.
Here are some reactions:-
Here is the allocation of new shops in Westlands market, over 70 percent of the allotments are to one community. Anyone with grievances is requested to lodge their complaints to @PSCharlesHinga, @HousingUrbanKE Ardhi House, 6th floor, not later than 15th June 2020. #SemaUkweli pic.twitter.com/qO6Hw8GsNE
— The People’s Watchman (@bonifacemwangi) June 9, 2020
What I understand with these allocations they are normally given to those who occupied the spaces before the new buildings were constructed. Then the extra ones are allocated to new applicants. Most business people all over the country are Kikuyus.
— montes (@edkiras5) June 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/taabu_eve/status/1270257497132146688
What are market stalls for?… Trading/business. So we give the mijikenda and pokomo shops just because we want to meet some threshold then the shops remain vacant? Is there any complaints about community allocation?. We all know most of the business ppl are kikuyu.
— Benjamin Kiongo (@Kiongo_Benjamin) June 9, 2020
Systemic discrimination. Other communities can't breath. Just so you know should the 50 million decide to do business with one another.. You won't speak from a point of privilege ("u were not in the market before") the way you do.
— DexterLFC (@Dexter254C) June 9, 2020
What criteria was used to qualify the underlisted beneficiaries? Was the allocation open and competitive? Tribalism and corruption are the major factors that run things in this country. This is the reflection you will see in allocation of cheap housing by government. It applies
— J.Otao 🇰🇪Ⓜ️🕊️ (@joshuaotaodepic) June 9, 2020
Have you compared statistics with Muthurwa, Gikomba, Stage market, Toy, Githurai, etc. What if the rest didn't express desire or were not in the previous occupants list? #zombie.
— Joe Wanjohi 🇰🇪 (@WanjohiKE) June 9, 2020
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