President William Ruto on Thursday inspected the ongoing construction of the Misambi Modern Market in Kabondo-Kasipul Constituency, Homa Bay County, as his administration pushes ahead with a programme to build hundreds of markets across the country.

 

The market is expected to accommodate 200 traders and is scheduled for completion in November, according to information issued during the President’s visit.

 

Ruto said the government was building 600 modern markets nationally to provide traders with better working spaces.

 

“We are building the markets because we promised Mama Mboga and other traders that we would provide decent and dignified spaces for them to work from,” he said.

 

In Homa Bay County alone, Ruto said the government was investing KSh3.5 billion in 21 new modern markets.

 

The market construction programme is part of the government’s wider investment in trading infrastructure under its economic transformation agenda.

 

Government figures contained in the 2026 Budget Policy Statement show that 44 markets had been completed by early this year, including 30 Economic Stimulus Programme markets and four modern markets. A further 276 modern markets were under development, while another 175 were at early stages. The statement also listed 34 modern markets and 205 ESP markets under construction at about 48% completion.

 

The Misambi project is among the markets being developed in Homa Bay County under the programme.

 

Ruto has increasingly used the market construction programme to demonstrate his administration’s support for small-scale traders, particularly women working in informal retail businesses.

 

The President’s inspection comes as the government expands the programme beyond individual market projects, with the latest national target standing at 600 markets.

 

The government has previously reported different figures for the programme as construction has progressed, making the distinction between markets completed, under construction and planned important when assessing progress towards the 600-market target.

 

The Misambi market is expected to be ready in November.