15/09/2026
Gikomba Market Gets a Major Upgrade: How Yusuf Hassan’s Bold Moves Are Redefining Gikomba Market.
Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan has cemented his legacy as a transformative leader after securing over KSh 6.8 billion in direct government funding from 2021 to 2026 to modernise Gikomba Market, Kenya’s largest open-air marketplace. His persistent advocacy has resulted in tangible infrastructure improvements, significantly enhancing livelihoods for thousands of traders.
Yusuf Hassan, the first legislator to champion this ambitious modernisation project, successfully lobbied for KSh 1.8 billion to build two modern facilities. The five-storey Gikomba Block A Market was completed in 2021 at a cost of KSh 850 million, followed by the seven-storey Quarry Road Market in 2026 at KSh 950 million. These projects replaced deteriorating, overcrowded structures with safe, ventilated spaces featuring improved sanitation and security.
Building on this achievement, Hassan secured an additional KSh 5 billion for the programme’s third and fourth phases. The most prominent current initiative is the Gikomba Riverside Market development. Beginning in March 2026 and scheduled for completion by year-end, this phase will provide approximately 7,000 traders with a dignified, healthy environment to operate—addressing longstanding issues of safety, hygiene, and exposure to the elements.
“The transformation of Gikomba isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s about restoring dignity and economic opportunity to the hardworking Kenyans who form the backbone of our informal economy,” Hassan stated. “This funding, secured through persistent engagement with national authorities, delivers on the promise of inclusive urban development.”
Local vendors, many of whom have operated in the market for decades, welcomed the upgrades. “We finally have proper toilets and a place to keep our goods safe from theft,” said Martha Wanjiku, a second-hand clothes seller. The initiative is being praised as a model for upgrading informal sectors, demonstrating that strong political will can bring about meaningful urban change.
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