KMC Managing Director Florence Seiya told the Guardian this week that small scale traders around the premises played a crucial contribution to its development.
He refuted claims that the new plans to develop a shopping mall will affect the old building gazetted as historical building saying the proposed structure will be built at a small market structure close to the main market.
Currently, the small market close to the main Kariakoo market accommodates only few traders selling rice, fruits, vegetable and other food items.
But Seiya said the corporation has already met with investors for the development of the shopping mall project to accommodate more traders.
“The project is still in preliminary stages. We are trying to negotiate with them on the smooth implementation of the project,” he said.
He said such a development will help KMC to generate enough income to improve other services like accessibility of water to traders, improve lavatories and sewage system.
Responding to traders’ concerns over high rental charges that nearly trippled to Sh12,500 from Sh5,400 in 2009, the KMC chief said the raise was justified, given high operational costs of the corporation.
He said the decision to raise rental charges was jointly reached by both traders and the corporation.
“Look, we are paying electricity bills of between Sh16million and Sh20million a month compared to Sh4.5million between 2001 and 2009, while we are not entitled to government subsidies,” he said.
In another development, the market management has ordered illegal traders operating around the market premises to vacate or risk confiscation of their items.
Eunosy Omary, a trader at the market said vendors selling their merchandise in open space around the main market premises were not welcome because they block emergency exits threatening lives of the market tenants during fire outbreaks
“Corridors have been blocked to the extent that fire rescuers cannot penetrate water pipes during fire outbreak,” he explained.
He said fining traders operating in restricted areas has not effective, but raised protests that prompted the Police into using force to drive them away.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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