NAIROBI, Kenya, April 27 – For 32 years, Vieterina Muthoni Bundi fought a quiet battle against the rains that turned her roadside makeshift vegetable stall into a muddy mess, against the sun that scorched her skin, against the winds and dust storms that scattered her vegetables, and against the speeding vehicles that splashed dirty water onto her hard-earned produce.
At 69, she carries the scars and stories of a lifetime spent surviving the harsh, unforgiving realities of Chogoria’s open-air roadside market in Maara Constituency, Tharaka Nithi County.
In April 2025, there was a glimmer of hope , but with skeptism, following over a decade of an unfulfilled promise, this time however it was different, the head of state inspected the modern market construction progress promising that works will be expedited.
She says that it never crossed her mind that one day fresh vegetable vendors commonly known as Mama Mboga would one day be given priority, noting that they have been ignored by successive governments.
“Honestly, we did not expect the government to bring such a big project here. I never thought that I will one see such a thing in Chogoria, it came as a big surprise for all of us,”she said, adding that “this is the reason why, I always come to the construction site together with a group of about 15 women to see history unfolding.’’
The trader, who has been selling vegetables along on the roadside since 1993, described the development as nothing short of a miracle.
“We have been soaked in the rain and baked by the sun for years, but we are now happy that the modern market is finally taking shape,” she said.
The Chogoria Modern Market, being built at a cost of Sh112 million, is designed to accommodate 400 traders, offering them a dignified and safe environment to grow their businesses.
The transformation underway in Chogoria is mirrored across several other sub-counties in the Mt. Kenya region, where modern markets initiated by the Kenya Kwanza administration are at various stages of completion.
The Chogoria Modern Market has reached 60 percent completion, while the Gatunga Modern Market in Tharaka North is at 80 percent. Other projects, including Kagio Modern Market in Kirinyaga County and Karuga Market in Murang’a County, are also progressing steadily.
During the 2022 campaigns, President William Ruto pledged to ensure that Mama Mboga and other small-scale traders would operate in dignified environments under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The new markets are being equipped with essential facilities such as cold rooms, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hubs, dry stores, vendor stalls, breastfeeding rooms for lactating mothers, and ample parking spaces. They are designed to benefit a range of traders, including those dealing in general produce, fresh produce, second-hand clothes (mitumba), and small-scale manufacturing (jua kali).
Chogoria Market chairlady Lydia Mukami said women traders have taken an active role in monitoring the construction progress to ensure the market is completed according to the contract specifications.
Mukami, who has been selling her merchandise at the open-air market for the past 16 years, said the group was formed to safeguard the traders’ interests after years of broken promises. She noted that frequent rains often force traders to halt their businesses, severely affecting their earnings.
She expressed confidence that the new market would not only protect their livelihoods but also greatly improve hygiene and working conditions.
Young people are already reaping the benefits of the new Chogoria Modern Market, with some securing jobs during the construction phase. Dennis Mwenda, a phone repair technician, said the project has opened up new opportunities for youth in the area.
Maara Sub-County Assistant County Commissioner Joseph Karato confirmed that construction began in August 2024, employing 20 skilled and 35 unskilled workers. He added that the project is expected to inject Sh35 million into the local economy.
“Once completed, the market will be a major relief to traders who have had to endure harsh weather conditions for years. the facility has been designed to be inclusive, with provisions for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).”
In addition, Sh10 million from the project’s budget has been ring-fenced to develop smart stalls for the traders.
“These smart stalls will offer a beautiful and secure space for traders to display and store their goods,” Karato explained.
“They will be prefabricated on-site by selected Jua Kali artisans, ensuring that the benefits of the Markets Program also trickle down to the cottage industry sector.”
