Nyong’o turns Jaramogi Oginga Odinga sports ground into Chichwa market
Jaramogi oginga Odinga sports ground, formerly Jomo Kenyatta sports ground, is no longer a sports ground but a market, newly branded as Chichwa market. This is after governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o halted all the activities at the site and started constructing stalls and ablution blocks in January.
Construction of Chichwa market costed the county Kshs. 15,000,000. The governor launched the market on 21st may 2020, accompanied by other dignitaries like the cabinet secretary for sports, Amina Mohammed, MCAs, MPs, and all the Kisumu county cabinet secretaries. The launch of Chichwa market comes at a time when most Kisumu residents remained jobless due to the expansion of the Kisumu port, which saw many stalls demolished, to create space for expansion of the port. Among the places that were interfered with includes Luang’ni beach, that hosted over 30 hotels, 20 different businesses, and more than 500 employees. Since then, revenue collection in the county has not been satisfactory.
Chichwa market has 500 modern selling stalls and 5 flashy ablution blocks. With 500 stalls the market can accommodate more than 1000 business persons, including hawkers and unlimited number of buyers.
Priority in allocation of the Chichwa market stalls will be given to those who were evicted from the areas around the port during expansion.
With the launch of Chichwa market, traders can now boast of a tidier modern market that is easily accessible and extremely organized compared to the then Luang’ni beach hotels.
Chichwa market also has access to cleaner water, toilets and boastable drainage system. Chichwa market is properly fenced and fitted with many security lights to ensure security of the traders and their clients.
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The major aim of launching the market is to restore the Kisumu county fallen economy and to ensure the residents have a wider shopping and recreation space, and above all, to compensate and relocate the businesses that were affected by expanding the port.
The other areas of the sports ground will be used as wedding grounds for hire, and have been properly designed to fulfill that purpose.
