Traders in Kitale in Trans Nzoia County are counting losses following the spread of the Coronavirus in the country, and they’ve stated that some of their products have wasted away due to lack of customers.
Speaking to West Media at the Kitale municipal market, the traders’ chairman Simon Bwire said they’ve incurred losses and can’t travel freely to access the products they need. He cited the closure of the Kenya-Uganda border, which made it hard for traders since they can’t access products like bananas, pineapples and groundnuts.
He claimed that most traders have been forced to look for middlemen who in turn con them because they have no bargaining leverage. However, he said some products which are locally available are now cheaper, like avocados, Irish potatoes and cabbages.
His sentiments were echoed by some businessmen who claimed they’ve incurred losses and that they have to buy tomatoes from Central Kenya which is expensive, “We are forced to buy tomatoes from Mwea at an expensive price and still people here aren’t buying them because they have no money,” said Loice Kadenge, a business woman.
The situation has made it harder for them to take care of their families, keeping in mind some of them are single parents. On the other hand, customers have complained about the expensive prices of commodities since the onset of the Coronavirus. Many having cited the tough financial conditions occasioned by the pandemic.