Police on Monday lobbied teargas at the Soko Mjinga and
Chanuka open-air markets in Kitale town dispersing traders who had defied orders
to shut down the market.
This comes a week following Trans Nzoia County directive to
shut down all open-air market in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The two markets on a normal day are always filled to
capacity, as social distancing measure fail to materialize among traders and
customers. The county ordered the closure of all open-air markets in the county
in line with the government’s directive on maintaining social distance.
The markets always filled with traders from different parts
of the county, were marred with chaos on Monday as a number of traders opting
to sell by the road side, as police engaged irate traders.
Traders standing outside their shops at Soko Mjinga market. Image|Courtesy
Some traders like the main fish sellers at Kamukunji Market, opted
to hawking as police officers lobbied teargas to disperse those in groups –with
a majority of those selling groceries crying that their stock is likely to get
spoiled.
“I sell omena and
fish majorly at my stall with tomatoes and onions, and going back home with
them will mean spoilage and loss because we cannot consume all with my family.
I have to do this become a mobile stall to avoid huge loses,” said miss Agnes
Omollo a trader at Soko Mjinga Market.
The traders now want the county government to look for other
suitable measures, rather than shutting the market down, claiming that the move
denies them an opportunity to earn their daily bread.
“The county should not just rush into measures and impose them,
we want to be safe, why don’t they put up more water reserves for traders to
wash their hands. We depend on this marke. How are we going to survive? The
closure of the market is painful to us.” Added Mr. Enock Ndiema a second-hand
clothes seller at Chanuka market.
Police car patroling Soko Mjinga Market. Image|CourtesyThe county said that although cleanliness standards in the
markets have been observed, traders are not allowed into the market as per the
county directive.
“We have accessed the cleanliness standards of our markets
but still we cannot allow our traders in the market because a negligible number
will observe the safety measures and keeping social distance will be difficult,
so we have to keep them off the market and close as we await further
directives,” said Trans Nzoia County health officer.
Kitale town remains a ghost with minimal activities as many businesses
are closed following the directive, as the number of coronavirus cases in the
country continue to rise.
Closed shops at Soko Mjinga market. Image|Courtesy
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced on Monday
that 8 more cases have been reported, tallying the total number nationwide to
50.
CS Mutahi warned Nairobi residents against moving to other
counties to avoid further spread.
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