Overcrowding strains historic Daraja Mbili market as traders outgrow original four-acre footprint

The historic Daraja Mbili open-air market in Kisii is experiencing severe space constraints, with registration records showing that the venue is currently hosting more than three times its intended capacity. Originally established in the 1970s, the facility was designed to comfortably accommodate around 800 traders within its boundaries.

Recent municipal audits reveal that more than 3,000 daily operators are now packed into the exact same four-acre footprint. The current trading population comprises a diverse mix of agricultural smallholders locally known as mama mboga, second-hand clothing vendors, and local hardware dealers.

This extreme congestion has placed a heavy burden on the site, which serves as a major commercial hub feeding the wider South Nyanza region. On peak market days, thousands of shoppers navigate the tightly packed stalls, which has raised long-standing concerns regarding hygiene, safety, and logistical management within Kisii town.

The ongoing congestion comes amid historical efforts by both the national and local governments to modernise the trading area. Previous infrastructural interventions included initial retail market upgrades funded in partnership with the national government to provide multi-floor structures, loading bays, and cold rooms.

In a bid to address the persistent space deficit, the national government through the State Department for Housing and Urban Development (SDHUD) recently issued a new tender for the proposed construction of the Daraja Mbili Modern Market in Kitutu Chache Constituency. This upcoming project aims to expand the commercial infrastructure to match the growing urban population.

Local traders have expressed the urgent need for structural expansion, citing losses incurred during heavy rainy seasons when the open-air sections become waterlogged. For decades, many operators have been forced to display their commodities on the pavements along the busy Kisii-Migori highway, risking their lives due to oncoming vehicular traffic.

The upcoming infrastructure project by SDHUD seeks to transition the facility into a fully covered modern market that can support daily transactions in an organized manner. By creating formal spaces, the project intends to bring order to the second-largest open-air market in the Nyanza region after Kisumu’s Kibuye market.

Municipal authorities have reiterated their commitment to maintaining sanitation standards at the site while the transition to permanent structures is being organized. Recent joint clean-up exercises involving local universities and medical stakeholders have attempted to manage the heavy waste output generated by the thousands of vendors operating on the property.

As the procurement process for the new construction phase advances, local administrators face the immediate task of managing the current traffic. The ultimate goal remains the creation of stable retail and wholesale infrastructure that can comfortably sustain the regional supply chain without compromising trader safety.