Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has hit the ground running with a bold multi-agency offensive to declutter the city's suffocated markets. Following a high-stakes directive from State House, the Governor toured Wakulima and Muthurwa markets, announcing immediate infrastructure overhauls to end the perennial gridlock.

The "Marikiti" madness, where delivery trucks and handcarts strangle Haile Selassie Avenue, is the target of this new push. Sakaja, flanked by Kenya Railways MD Philip Mainga and Regional Commissioner Charles Njagua, promised not just a cleanup, but a structural revolution. "We heard the traders yesterday, and today we are acting," Sakaja declared.

The Decongestion Strategy

The centrepiece of the plan is a new dedicated access road cutting through the City Stadium to loop traffic away from the main arteries. This "surgical strike" on traffic is expected to:

• Unlock the Gridlock: divert heavy trucks directly into the market without clogging the CBD.
• Enhance Safety: Create separation between pedestrians, handcarts (mkokoteni), and heavy commercial vehicles.
• Boost Trade: A faster flow of goods means fresher produce and higher turnover for the "Mama Mboga" who feeds the city.

A Promise of Modernity

Beyond the asphalt, the Governor reiterated his administration's pledge to deliver 20 modern markets by 2027. With a KES 7.2 billion war chest discussed at State House, the goal is to dignify the hustle. "Nairobi is a trading city," Sakaja noted. "Our markets cannot be zones of chaos; they must be engines of wealth."

For the millions of Nairobians who depend on these hubs for their daily food, the proof will be in the pudding. If Sakaja can tame the beast that is Wakulima Market, he will have solved a puzzle that has defeated three successive administrations.