TURKANA CENTRAL — Frustration is mounting in Canaan and Kanamkemer Ward as residents, traders, and youth demonstrate against a five-year delay in opening the newly built Kanamkemer Fresh Produce Market.
Constructed under the Kenya Devolution Support Programme (KDSP) with support from the World Bank, the Sh100 million project spans approximately 1.5 acres and features 112 stalls. Despite being reported as 100 percent complete in 2023 with an expected launch in January 2024, the facility remains shuttered, denying the local community a vital economic hub.
The prolonged closure has not only halted local commerce but has also turned the facility into a target for vandalism and theft. Nearby resident Hadijah Kamzee highlighted the deteriorating condition of the stalled site, noting that streetlights have vanished and doors have been stolen from the unused building.
Local youth and bodaboda (motorcycle taxi) operators emphasized that operationalizing the market would immediately generate income through trade, transport, and manual labor opportunities. Canaan resident Raul expressed the youth’s frustration, asking Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai how much longer young people are expected to wait for the jobs the facility was built to provide.
The market delay is part of a larger wave of public discontent in Turkana Central, where residents raised concerns over a wide range of stalled public investments and lagging essential services. Protesters pointed to poor road networks, an incomplete saleyard, an unassigned stage for bodaboda operators, an unreliable water supply, and alleged favoritism in the distribution of county education bursaries. Other neglected community assets include the closed Kanamkemer Resource Centre, a non-functional youth hall, and inadequate local healthcare services.
In response to the widespread delays, local youth representative Simeon signaled a shift in political patience among constituents, warning leaders that empty promises will no longer secure votes.
Residents are now formally demanding clear operational timelines from county leaders, specifically targeting Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, Kanamkemer Member of County Assembly (MCA) James Ikeny, and relevant education stakeholders. Community members insist they will settle for nothing short of completed projects, improved public services, and tangible economic results.
