The Story: Return of Karuri Market

Putting the record clear.

For those who have forgotten, the market had been abandoned for 10 years. Traders were relocated to a temporally private plot which always became muddy, had no toilets, was bushy, insecure and traders were forced to clear all their stocks every evening. Despite the plot having no structure, not even a fence, it was rented at 50,000sh a month. What everyone expected to be a temporary measure turned out to be the worst corruption scandal in the history of our Ward which economically killed Karuri shopping center and the livelihoods of thousands of people as days turned into months and months into years.

 I promised I will do whatever it takes to get our market back when I get elected. I started lobbying immediately I took office. For one and a half years, I used the authority of the county assembly to request statements, table motions and summoning executive members. I brought delegations of assembly committees to see firsthand the suffering the traders were going through. I wrote letters to all relevant departments and even published a pamphlet on Karuri Market and distributed copies to offices at the county and national government. The only reply I got from all these efforts was funds were not available.

During the process of making the 2014/15 budget, I vigorously lobbied fellow MCAs so we put some money for markets. Amazingly, when the appropriations were released I discovered that the executive had prioritized Limuru, Githunguri and Kikuyu  markets. I knew my efforts had not made impact and I had to change tact.

That’s when I decided to involve the community in agitating for our market. On 9th October 2014, I convened a meeting of market traders and community members where I updated them and called on them to join me in the fight for Karuri market. They all agreed.

Traders and customers on the muddy grounds

After the meeting I wrote to the executive and gave them a ultimatum of 3 months to build our market or I mobilize the traders to reoccupy the market as it was. I knew many of them do not take letters seriously and I therefore booked a session on Kameme Radio on 24th November 2014 where I told the world the history, the suffering and the 3 months ultimatum we have given the government ending 9^th January 2015.

I started organizing strategy meetings with the Market committee led by their Chairman Mr Mbuthia as we waited for whichever government response. We held 6 weekly closed door meetings at my office and kept our deliberations top secret as the deadline neared. In the process, I discovered that some selfish tycoons in Banana were wanted the market to remain where it was. I knew it won't be easy but I prayed for Gods guidance.

When we started the last month to the deadline,  I wrote my last communication to all the relevant departments and warned them that after 9th January 2015 the neglected people of Karuri will take up their constitutional rights to civil disobedience, return to their market and start building one for themselves. One week to the deadline, together with the very cooperative committee we announced a big meeting to take place at the Banana market on Monday 6th January.

We held the meeting and announced we were going back to our land on monday12th the following week. As we expected that info spread like bushfire. They realized they had underestimated the resolve of the market traders. Calls started streaming in. The first one was from a senior department head, "As a good friend Martin, I want to warn you that you are trending on very dangerous grounds.

The Stalled remains of the intended upgrade.

The matter of Karuri market is in court and what you are doing is Sub-judice." I told the officer not to worry because I got a lawyer who is taking care of that and I hang up. Others called to warn me that am inciting people and I will get arrested. But one caller from the Sub-county was extremely rude and arrogant calling me many unprintable names.

I vowed not to be distracted. My mind was on a different type of challenge. Relocating people from one business area to a

Construction of the new Market begins.

nother can generate serious conflicts or fights. I had to be extremely careful and wary of all the enemies against the relocation. On Tuesday 7th January I hired some guys to clear the bushes in the abandoned Karuri market. On Wednesday with the help of the market committee we spent the whole day subdividing and marking all spaces enough for every trader. All this time my informers at Thika headquarters and Kiambaa sub-county offices were briefing me on how the government was planning to counter our moves. They knew we were set to relocate on monday12th as we announced at the last meeting. I knew I had to keep some of my plans closely guarded even from the committee we were working with because at a time like this you don’t trust anybody.

On Thursday I got information that all security chiefs were held up in daylong meetings at Kiambaa Sub-county offices to prepare to counter our planned exodus. According to insider friends, I was accused of inciting the people against their government with the intention to embarrassing the leaders. The security bosses resolve to deploy riot police to surround Karuri market starting much earlier on Saturday and block anyone attempting to gain entry into the market. If we attempted to use force to gain entry we would be countered with force and that is where my arrest would have taken place. In my heart I knew all these market mothers had voted for me out of sheer love and trust and there is no way I could have exposed them to harm from riot police or our enemies. I had to be meticulous in my plans.

At 5.00pm on Thursday after every office have been closed, I called the market committee to a very urgent meeting and that is when I laid my secret cards on the table. I told them we were not going to relocate on Monday but today. It was a market day and I wanted the committee to mobilize the traders so I can address them. I had already prepared how people will relocate using ballot numbers which were to be distributed today.

Traders happy in the new Market.

We rushed to the market before it could get dark and I addressed all the traders from the top of my car. I told them that this was their last day in Banana and “everybody must uproot their stands either today or very early tomorrow morning”. I told them I have made special ballot papers for each to pick one at random and then go straight to where the number has been marked at the Karuri Market. There should be no complains of corruption, favoritism or discrimination because everybody will pick a number inside a closed black paper bag. I will never forget to thank God for this day, because,  by noon the following day Friday,  all structures at banana had been demolished and everybody was busy putting new ones at Karuri. And then a miracle happened. After the structures at banana were all removed, in the afternoon, the owner of the plot fenced it off blocking the gate using iron sheets to signify that nobody is allowed to go back there. And I knew God was with us.

On Saturday morning, when the riot police were to cordon off Karuri market, they were shocked to find the market was full of structures. They rushed to banana and were further shocked to find the plot empty and fenced off. They took their phones and briefed their bosses on the situation. They were told to go back to base and leave us alone. One local boss called me and said, "hapo umetucheza". I just laughed.

The government had to eat humble pie and they started plans of putting up a market. The governor ordered emergency funds to be mobilized from various votes and within 3 months, tenders for the market were floated. I had become an enemy to many in government. But what mattered to me was that, the suffering of my people were over, the shops at Karuri have sprung back to life after 10 yrs, and many people have gotten back their livelihoods.

That is why I didn’t feel offended a few days ago on Thursday 9th march 2017 when the traders held a prayer day for Karuri Market, and the market committee gave out Certificates of appreciation to over 10 people, those who contributed to the return of Karuri .market and my name was not among them. Ironically, I was the only political leader who honored the invitation to the prayer meeting. However, the most worthy certificate comes from God.

Mind you, the Markets that were prioritized of Limuru and Githunguri have not started to date.

Apart from Karuri market, there are some 2 other milestone achievements I have made for my people out of strictly personal initiatives. But they are so controversial and can be politically explosive because I took up other leaders responsibilities. What matters is that my people are benefiting. They don’t have to know who did it. But I will write about it in my memoirs later. Look out for my score card. Coming out soon.