By Robert Mutasi 
The eight-storey 64 Iconic Market in Eldoret is complete, with final finishing works underway ahead of its expected opening to traders.
Interior and National Administration Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the facility would provide modern trading spaces for more than 4,000 traders and help ease congestion in Eldoret’s busy commercial centre.
The market was developed through a partnership between the National Government and the Uasin Gishu County Government as part of efforts to improve trading conditions and organise commercial activities in the rapidly growing city.
According to Omollo, the project also carries historical significance, tracing its roots to Farm Block No. 64, one of the numbered plots used by colonial surveyors when mapping the fertile Uasin Gishu plateau in the early 1900s.
The land along the Sosiani River eventually became part of Eldoret’s commercial centre, with the historical designation preserved in the name of the new market.
Finishing works, including painting and floor installation, are ongoing at the facility, which is designed to replace exposed open-air trading spaces with organised and secure retail areas.
The market will feature dedicated sections for fresh produce, grains, wholesale goods, second-hand clothing and tailoring. The arrangement is expected to make it easier for traders to operate their businesses while helping customers locate goods within the complex.
The development also incorporates organised parking and improved waste-management systems aimed at addressing some of the challenges associated with informal trading in the town centre.
Eldoret, which attained city status in August 2024, has continued to experience growing commercial activity, increasing pressure on existing business premises and public spaces.
The new market is expected to provide additional capacity for small-scale traders while creating a more structured environment for the sale of goods.
Omollo said the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration would play a key role in maintaining security, public order and a safe trading environment within the facility.
The department’s involvement is intended to support the orderly use of the market and protect traders, customers and other members of the public.
Security arrangements will be important as traders move into the facility, particularly in managing access, maintaining order and ensuring that business activities do not disrupt movement within the surrounding commercial area.
The project forms part of wider efforts by national and county authorities to improve urban infrastructure and support economic activity in Eldoret.
For traders, the facility is expected to offer more structured business spaces and improved working conditions. Customers are also expected to benefit from the organised arrangement of businesses and better access to different categories of goods.
However, the market’s long-term impact will depend on how effectively the facility is managed, how spaces are allocated and whether traders can sustain their businesses within the new environment.
The completion of the building marks a significant step towards providing a modern trading centre for thousands of business operators in Eldoret and the wider Uasin Gishu region.