A Sh60 million taxpayer, funded retail market in Kitengela town plunged into darkness barely a year after its official opening, leaving the traders suffering and raising questions about the sustainability of public infrastructure projects in Kajiado County
The two, storey Kitengela market which was officially opened in March 2025 after almost six years of stalling has been without power for the past four months after the disconnection of Kenya Power due to unpaid bills amounting to Sh400, 000.
Business has been severely affected due to power cut, especially in the second floor which has been deserted since then. Traders report that the electricity blackout has led to fewer customers, to goods getting spoiled and losses increasing, some being forced to give up their stalls altogether.
We were promised a state, of, the, art market that would be able to support a 24, hour economy but without power that is not possible, one of the traders told the news, adding that the confidence in the facilitys future has been undermined by the situation.
County officials have blamed the disconnection on the high cost of electricity saying that the county government is finding it hard to settle power bills at various public facilities.
Kajiado County is said to be in arrears of more than Sh100 million in electricity bills to Kenya Power ,mostly from the markets and street lighting.
In response, the county government states that it is looking into other options, such as the use of green energy, to lower the costs of running the facilities and to prevent such disruptions in the future. On the other hand, the traders contend that the main priority should be to get the power back and the businesses running at the market.
The situation has led to a fresh round of criticism about the management of projects funded by taxpayers, as the local community and the traders are asking why a facility that cost so much public money is already not functioning properly.
With the deadlock still in place, the traders are worried that the darkness may last so long that the market is practically destroyed, and a showpiece development project becomes a symbol of poor planning and squandering of public funds.
