Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Oginga, together with a local man named Dickson Oruko Oburu, has started a legal action to stop the building of a second-hand clothes market in Bondo Town.
They got help from their lawyer, Sylvia Nyambeki, and received a court order from the Siaya High Court.
This order stops the Siaya County Government from moving forward with the plan for the new market, known as the Mitumba market.
The legal case was filed quickly in the Siaya Environment and Lands Court. Judge Edda Dena agreed to their request.
This action comes just a few weeks after Siaya Governor James Orengo began the construction on May 5, 2025, intending to create a better space for people selling second-hand clothes, also called mitumba.
On May 27, 2025, Judge Edda Dena decided that because the matter is urgent, the current situation regarding two pieces of land in Bondo (parcels Bondo Township/58 and Bondo Township/59) must remain unchanged as of May 26, 2025. She also said that no more construction can happen on those lands until the court gives more instructions.
Dr Oburu and Mr Oburu, who are the first and second plaintiffs in this case, said in their statements that they have a legal lease for the land for 99 years, starting from July 1, 2024.
The Siaya County Government is named as the defendant in this case, and the National Land Commission is also involved.
The plaintiffs say that the county government is using their land without following the right steps and that some traders have been using the land for business without it being officially allowed.
The court is set to give more information about the case on Friday, May 30, 2025.
