Kamuwongo Market Spurs Youth Jobs, Local Growth as Residents Hail New Economic Lifeline
A young worker at the Kamuwongo ESP Market construction site. The site has created job opportunities for many more youth.
The completion and official handover of the Kamuwongo ESP Market in Mwingi North, Kitui County, has marked a major milestone for local commerce, youth employment, and community development. Delivered at a cost of Ksh 59.3 million, the modern market is now being celebrated as one of the region’s most transformative economic investments in recent years.
Constructed between 17 May 2024 and 10 November 2025, the two-storey market block is designed to host 200 traders and serve more than 1,000 daily users. Its layout incorporates both modern infrastructure and community-friendly spaces tailored to boost small-scale enterprise productivity.
The ground floor features open-air trading bays, smart stalls, dry and cold storage units, and a mothers’ room, while the upper floor includes a social hall, a fully equipped ICT centre, and a kitchen. Supporting facilities including a new ablution block, waste cubicle, and septic system have reinforced the market’s status as a clean, safe, and sustainable trading hub.
The project aligns with the national Government’s Agenda, which seeks to uplift grassroots economies and enhance working conditions for both formal and informal traders. For many residents, the impact of the market has been felt long before its completion
According to Tabitha Kilonzo, a hotel operator from Kamuw’ogwo, the project energized the local economy by creating jobs for young people during the construction phase.
“When our President came into power, he promised us development, and truly, he built for us a market an international, smart market. Even as it was being constructed, our youth got jobs, and that money helped Kamuw’ogwo because it circulated and people benefited from it,” she said.
Today, traders are accessing improved services, including WiFi, secure storage, and significantly reduced water costs. The installation of piped water within the market has eliminated the need for vendors to buy water at ksh 20 per jerrycan, improving both hygiene and profitability.
“He brought us water, now it’s inside, you wash your vegetables easily, and we have been relieved of the cost of buying water,” Tabitha added.
President William Ruto, accompanied by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Kitui Governor Julius Malombe, officially inspected and handed over the facility to the County Government of Kitui.
He noted that the market will catalyze local enterprise growth, expand employment opportunities for young people, and strengthen Kamuw’ogwo’s economic resilience.
For the people of Kamuwingo, the new market is more than a building it is a symbol of restored dignity, renewed business confidence, and a gateway to a more inclusive and vibrant local economy.
