Meru Governor Wants ‘Soko Mjinga’ Market Renamed Bethsaida After Traders Hit by Land Dispute
Meru Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia has proposed a striking new name for Soko Mjinga Market, saying its current title risks creating a negative impression of the traders who work there.
Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia made the proposal during a visit to the Meru town market, where traders have been caught up in a dispute over ownership of the land.
The governor suggested that the market should instead be known as Bethsaida, a biblical name, after asking traders whether they would support the change.
The traders reportedly welcomed the proposal and called for new signage to be installed bearing the new name.
“When we say Soko Mjinga, people think we are foolish. Do you want us to change its name because names have ears? Now let’s call it Bethsaida,” M’Ethingia said.
The governor’s comments came against the backdrop of tensions at the market after police allegedly used tear gas while enforcing a court order connected to a private individual claiming ownership of the land.
M’Ethingia told traders that his administration would stand behind them and would not allow them to be displaced from a location on which many depend for their livelihoods.
Governor issues warning over disputed market land
The governor warned that allowing private claims over the market land to succeed could have wider consequences for public property in Meru town.
He suggested that other important public sites could potentially become targets if the dispute was not challenged.
“It won’t be a surprise that if we allow them to take that land, they will even go down there and take the land where the bus stage sits, and then move to the county headquarters,” M’Ethingia said.
M’Ethingia compared his intervention to the response of a parent whose child had been attacked, telling traders not to be intimidated by the dispute.
He also expressed strong anger towards the unnamed individual claiming ownership of the property.
“If I could get hold of that person, I would have him vanish in my hands because of the anger I am feeling,” the governor said.
His remarks came as he sought to reassure traders that the county government would protect their interests while the land dispute continues.
The governor also linked the traders’ livelihoods to the national government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), arguing that small-scale businesses form an important part of the economic strategy aimed at improving the lives of ordinary Kenyans.
M’Ethingia takes aim at Linturi and Munya
The market dispute was not the only issue addressed by the governor.
M’Ethingia also launched a pointed attack on former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi and former Meru governor Peter Munya, accusing political figures of giving too much attention to the two former leaders whenever discussions about Meru’s future leadership arise.
Taking aim particularly at Linturi, the governor used a colourful metaphor to dismiss criticism directed at his administration.
“Linturi is a rooster. He opened his mouth wide, and we have now discovered that he is toothless,” M’Ethingia said.
He questioned why political debate in Meru continued to revolve around Linturi and Munya despite the county having many other potential leaders.
“When a discussion about leaders in Meru County arises, it is always about Linturi and Munya. I wonder, when Linturi and Munya were born, did women in Meru County stop giving birth?” M’Ethingia asked.
The remarks underline the increasingly combative political atmosphere in Meru, where questions over leadership, development and control of public resources remain politically sensitive.
Governor highlights Meru development projects
M’Ethingia also used the occasion to defend his administration’s record, pointing to several projects that he said demonstrated progress in the county.
He highlighted developments at Meru Level Five Hospital, saying the facility was progressing towards Level Six status.
The governor also pointed to the ongoing construction of Gakoromone Market, which he valued at approximately KSh1.6 billion.
M’Ethingia argued that while some public facilities had existed for years, successive administrations had not always pursued projects capable of expanding services and creating greater economic opportunities for residents.
For the traders at Soko Mjinga, however, the immediate issue remains the future of the market and the land on which their businesses operate.
If the governor’s proposal goes ahead, one of Meru town’s best-known markets could soon lose the name Soko Mjinga and instead become Bethsaida — a change M’Ethingia believes could help reshape how the traders and their businesses are perceived.
Other News: Kisumu chaos as monster storm tears through city, crushes cars and sends residents running for cover
