Kisumu City has ordered the immediate closure of Kibuye Market, the region’s largest open-air market, following a damning public health inspection that uncovered alarming sanitary conditions and heightened risks of a cholera outbreak.
City Manager Abala Wanga, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the move follows an urgent assessment by the public health department, which found the market to be in violation of several critical health and safety standards. The market has been identified as a potential cholera hotspot, especially given the ongoing rainy season that increases the spread of waterborne diseases.
Among the major issues cited were a lack of clean and safe water supply, improper solid waste management, unsanitary toilet and ablution facilities, unsafe cooking practices, and blocked drainage systems. Additionally, encroachment on access lanes by stalls and temporary structures has made it difficult to maintain cleanliness and access for emergency services.
“These conditions pose an imminent threat to public health,” Wanga stated, adding that the closure is in line with Section 117 of the Public Health Act Cap 242, and related provisions under Cap 254.
Wanga emphasized that the cessation of all market operations will remain in effect until comprehensive remedial actions are undertaken. These include installing a reliable water supply system, establishing an effective waste collection and disposal system, rehabilitating sanitation facilities, and restructuring eateries to meet public health standards. Food handlers will also be required to undergo medical certification, and all obstructions in drainage and access lanes must be removed.
To minimize the disruption caused by the closure, the city has temporarily relocated Kibuye Market’s trading activities to Uhuru Business Market. The city assures traders and residents that support measures have been put in place to ensure a smooth transition.
“We are committed to resolving the identified health concerns with urgency,” Wanga said. “All efforts are being made to ensure Kibuye Market reopens as soon as possible, in a cleaner, safer, and more organized state.”
The closure underscores growing concerns about urban sanitation and public health in Kisumu and comes amid rising cholera cases in the city and surrounding counties.
