NAIROBI,Kenya Sep 11 – Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is racing against time to complete key projects he promised voters, with less than a year to go before the 2027 General Election.
Among the projects being pushed towards completion are a series of markets across the capital, with South B Market now 90 per cent complete, Gikomba Quarry Road Market at 96 per cent and Maji Mazuri Market in Kasarani at 98 per cent.
The projects are part of Sakaja’s pledge to construct or modernise 20 markets across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties, one of the commitments on which his administration has staked its development record.
With the clock ticking towards the next election, the completion of the projects could provide the governor with tangible evidence of his administration’s performance as he seeks to retain control of City Hall.
At South B, construction of the multi-storey market is nearing completion. The facility is expected to accommodate about 1,050 permanent traders and up to 1,500 traders on peak market days.
The Gikomba Quarry Road project is further ahead, at 96 per cent, while construction of the Gikomba Linear Market is also ongoing.
Gikomba is one of the city’s largest commercial hubs and has for years faced challenges including congestion, inadequate trading facilities and poor sanitation.
Maji Mazuri Market in Kasarani has reached 98 per cent completion. The three-block facility is being constructed on an 8.4-acre parcel that the county says was recovered for public use.
Other projects being pursued by the county include markets at Mutuini and Kahawa West.
Sakaja has repeatedly presented the market programme as part of his administration’s effort to improve trading facilities for small-scale traders and create more opportunities for young people.
“The dignity of our traders is at the heart of this programme. We are modernising 20 markets across all 17 sub-counties to create opportunities, support young entrepreneurs and strengthen local economies,” Sakaja said.
But the governor faces pressure to turn projects announced and launched during his first term into completed facilities before voters return to the ballot.
The pace of construction has also become an important measure of whether the administration can deliver on its wider development agenda, particularly in a city where infrastructure projects often face delays, funding constraints and disputes over land.
The county says the markets will include facilities such as baby-care centres and information technology hubs, in addition to trading spaces.
The projects are being implemented under a cooperation agreement between the Nairobi county government and the national government aimed at accelerating development in the capital.
Sakaja was elected governor in August 2022 after defeating incumbent Anne Kananu and former Nairobi governor Polycarp Igathe.
His administration has since faced political pressure over service delivery, including garbage collection, drainage, roads, markets and the management of the county’s finances.
