Unlike Kitengela, Namanga and Kajiado towns in the vast Kajiado County which are widely known for booming business, Loitokitok, at the border of Kenya and Tanzania, has been struggling to find its footing despite most of the produce sold in the town finding its way to Nairobi.

The small but growing town, some 255 kilometres from Nairobi, lies on the slopes of Africa’s highest mountain and enjoys huge supplies of foodstuff from both the Tanzania and Kenyan side, which makes trade in the border area blossom.

Oloitoitok, as the dominant local Maasai community prefer to call it, is a major link between Kenya and Tanzania and a doorway for the coexistence of people from different cultures.

Loitokitok town is a vibrant multi-cultural, multi-ethnic border town that lies within the foothills and within eyeshot of the highest mountain in Africa.

This town is home to many multifaceted cultures and offers credence to different people. A business hub for many people, it serves as a crucial portal between the neighbouring Tanzania and Kenya, and provides a pathway for goods and services to freely move between this two countries.

Unkept promises

People Daily had a brief stopover at Loitokitok Market on Saturday to interact with traders.

Susan Lekisambu, a potato vendor said she has been trading at the market for two years. She revealed business that used to generate huge profits has been dwindling as locals struggle with hard economic times as a result of Kenya Kwanza administration policies.

In the run-up to 2022 elections the then Deputy President William Ruto who is now the President led his brigade in a campaign in the vast Kajiado County promising locals better lives when he gets to the House on the Hill, the trader recalls. Things are however different as locals continue to wallow in poverty and their economic situation worsened.

The Loitokitok residents have urged the government to offer a conducive environment for business, reduce the high taxation imposed on them and address the plight of small traders as the President had promised during campaigns.

The traders mainly source mangoes, potatoes and bananas from Tanzania but were now expensive due to the weakening of the Kenya shilling.

“Our profit margins have dropped due to the weakening shilling,” a trader, Susan Lekisambu said.

The business that is in demand in the border market actually is beans with prices now at between Sh9,000 and Sh9,500 and while green maize fetches about Sh70,000 a hectare.

The Loitokitok market has however recorded an oversupply of cabbages resulting in low prices according to one resident, Grace Njai.

“We have problems in this town. We don’t have money because of the poor economy,” Njai said.

Fledgling centre

Loitokitok town lies within the foothills and in a view of the highest mountain in Tanzania, Mt Kilimanjaro, some 255 kilometres from the country’s capital.

The town was previously the administrative headquarters of Loitokitok District, in which it is located. It is served by a general government hospital and by Loitokitok Airstrip.

According to the Kajiado County Government water access to the over 60,000 residents of Oloitokitok and the neighbouring areas of Ilasit, Nkama and the KRA border post is nearing full implementation.

The rehabilitation and augmentation of the Oloitokitok Water Supply and Sanitation Project will enhance the county government mission of ensuring that the project by Nolturesh Water Company benefits the people of Kajiado County. Under this project, solar power shall be used to pump the water from four pumps at the source, making it affordable.

A total of 4,720 solar panels and associated electromagnetic equipment will produce a total of 1.5 MW of power. The town’s landscape is further destined for a total transformation though the county’s urban centres upgrading programme.

The devolved unit is putting cabro in the town as well building Ilasit Market. The integrated market, which is nearing completion sits on a 9- acre county government land and will hold 500 traders upon completion.

A link road from Ilasit town centre to the market is also being constructed to ease transportation of goods and people. The market will also have a livestock sale yard.

The fledgling town is an arena of possibilities, creating an avenue for people of the two countries to interact together and foster integration.