Chogoria’s Mama Mbogas turn market inspectors in push for progress

Inspired by President William Ruto’s April visit to the region during his Mount Kenya development tour, the traders didn’t just applaud—they mobilized. Within days, they had formed a self-appointed “accountability squad” to monitor the project’s progress.

“We have a women’s group,” said Lydia Mukami, Chairlady of the Chogoria Market Traders Association. “When we see that the work isn’t going well, we ask, ‘What’s happening?’ We’re told the President said things should move quickly.”

For weeks now, Mukami and her fellow traders have made daily rounds at the construction site—checking on progress, asking questions, and holding the contractor to account.

“Every morning the women tell me, ‘Chairlady, go and check if the work is continuing,’” Mukami said. “We pass by, come back, pass again… every morning, without fail.”

Their motivation goes beyond curiosity—it’s about reclaiming dignity. Just a few meters away lies the current open-air market where many have traded for years under the scorching sun, exposed to dust, rain, and traffic hazards.

“I don’t use the old path anymore,” Mukami added. “We walk through here daily, checking how things are going. It’s not like before. Even some of our children have found jobs working on this site.”

The routine has become a community affair, with many traders keeping close watch. For some, like long-time vendor Jennifer Karii, the lack of updates from contractors has been frustrating—but it hasn’t broken their resolve.

“Every day we wake up asking why the workers haven’t come,” Karii said. “We wonder, have they gone on strike? Haven’t they been paid? But then we see them return from lunch and continue working. So we know something is happening.”

According to government officials, the women’s involvement has not gone unnoticed.

“They’ve been here day in, day out, trying to see the progress of the project,” said Joseph Karoto, Assistant County Commissioner for Maara Sub-county. “It’s their right. They’ve been suffering for long, so they are eager to see this project completed.”

For the traders, the new market promises more than infrastructure. It means cleaner stalls, safe trading spaces, reduced post-harvest losses, and formal recognition of their contributions to the local economy.

It may not be part of the official blueprint for the over 400 markets being built across Kenya—but in Chogoria, grassroots oversight is getting results.