Plans are underway for the construction of the Kibuye Modern Market, a Ksh 3.5 billion redevelopment set to transform the facility into a regional trading hub serving thousands of traders across the Lake Victoria Basin and beyond.

Kisumu City Manager Abala Wanga made the announcement during an engagement between the County Executive and members of the Kisumu media fraternity, led by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.

Abala was quick to shut down social media claims that the County Government was tapping World Bank funds for the project, clarifying that the money is coming entirely from the National Government.

“The project is being funded by the National Government through the State Department for Housing and Urban Development. The County Government is not using any World Bank money to build any market. The funds are from the National Government through the State Department.”

Tendering underway, groundbreaking next

The project is currently at the tendering stage, a State Department for Housing and Urban Development tender for the construction and financing of Kibuye Regional Market and its associated infrastructure has already been advertised.

Abala said that once the process concludes, the stage will be set for a joint groundbreaking by President William Ruto and Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.

“The Government has given Sh3.5 billion and the tendering process is ongoing, and soon the President and the Governor will do the groundbreaking.”

The redevelopment will see the market rebuilt as a three-storey complex, partly modelled on modern markets in Cape Town, South Africa — a design intended to modernise trading infrastructure while retaining Kibuye’s role as a mass-market hub.

Abala described Kibuye as an economic engine whose reach extends well past the county’s borders, pulling in traders and produce from across the region and neighbouring Uganda.

“Trucks arrive at the market as early as 3 a.m. carrying commodities including onions and watermelons from Uganda, bananas from Kisii and maize from Trans Nzoia, while farmers from Kericho and Nandi supply fresh produce.”

That cross-border and cross-county supply chain is central to the County’s pitch for the market’s redevelopment, positioning Kibuye not just as a local trading point, but as regional infrastructure serving the wider Lake Victoria Basin economy.