Siaya County Women Representative Christine Ombaka has emerged as a central figure in advancing socio-economic transformation for women and other affirmative action groups across Siaya County. Elected on the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket in 2013, 2017, and 2022, she is serving her third term as Woman Representative, leveraging the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) to translate policy into tangible development outcomes. Her work prioritizes financial inclusion, dignity in trade, and sustainable livelihoods, particularly for women and elderly persons who form the backbone of Siaya’s local economies.
NGAAF, formally established in 2016 through Legal Notice No. 24 under the Public Finance Management Act of 2012, provided the institutional framework required to actualize Ombaka’s early advocacy efforts that began in 2013 during the formative and often difficult years of devolution. The fund’s mandate—to facilitate socio-economic empowerment through targeted financial and social support—has been realized in Siaya through deliberate investment in modern market infrastructure, where more than 70 percent of traders are women business people.
Christine Ombaka’s academic and professional background has strongly shaped her development approach. She holds a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Nairobi, and previously served as a senior lecturer in linguistics and journalism at Maseno University. This grounding enables her to build persuasive development narratives, mobilize stakeholders, and convert policy frameworks into functional, people-centered community assets. Across Siaya County, this approach has resulted in standardized modern markets—each typically comprising 120 metal-door stalls, multi-door toilet facilities, and two 6,000-litre water tanks.
Onding Market in East Gem Ward, Gem Constituency, exemplifies the depth of this transformation. Equipped with 120 secure stalls, four-door toilet facilities, and two 6,000-litre water tanks, the market allows traders to clean produce, maintain hygiene standards, and store goods securely overnight. This has significantly reduced losses caused by heavy seasonal rains. Previously, women traders—who constitute over 70 percent of vendors—operated in exposed, unsanitary conditions that limited trading hours and forced daily stock clearance. Today, reliable access to clean water for washing produce, cleaning stalls, and maintaining sanitation has increased daily earnings by an estimated 25 to 40 percent while improving food safety and customer confidence.
Nyangweso Market in Central Gem Ward further magnifies these gains. With 120 metal-door stalls, three-door toilet facilities, twin 6,000-litre water tanks, and revenue collection offices, the market has become a structured commercial center dominated by women traders. Access to NGAAF-supported loans has lifted average revenues for female entrepreneurs by approximately 35 percent. The availability of water enables routine cleaning of vegetables, fish, and trading surfaces, preservation of freshness, and proper waste management. These improvements reduce spoilage, enhance product quality, and stabilize trading activity, while improved sanitation has significantly lowered the risk of cholera outbreaks historically associated with open-air markets.
In Central Sakwa Ward, Bondo Constituency, Wagusu Market mirrors the same successful model. Women—again forming over 70 percent of traders—process and sell fish in hygienic, weather-protected stalls. Clean water is essential for washing fish, maintaining cleanliness of work surfaces, and meeting public health standards required by buyers from nearby urban centers. The presence of adequate toilet facilities further ensures a safe trading environment, enabling women traders to operate consistently without interruptions caused by illness or unsanitary conditions.
Sidundo Market in Usonga Ward, Alego Usonga Constituency, plays a critical role in supporting women traders dealing in maize, cassava, rice, and other produce. The modern facilities allow secure bulk storage, enabling traders to wait for favorable prices and earn premiums of 20 to 30 percent. Water tanks serve essential market functions, including cleaning produce, maintaining sanitation around stalls and toilet facilities, and supporting overall hygiene standards that attract buyers and traders alike. These improvements align with county goals of enhancing safe water access and strengthening agricultural trade systems dominated by women.
Got Yenga Market in North Alego Ward incorporates four-door toilet facilities alongside 120 stalls and 6,000-litre water tanks, eliminating unsafe roadside trading in high-density areas. Ergonomically designed stalls reduce physical strain for elderly women traders, allowing them to conduct business while seated and in dignified conditions. Access to clean water supports daily cleaning routines, contributing to healthier working environments and sustained trading activity. Similar benefits are evident at Konyango Market in East Ugenya Ward, where targeted vernacular communication has strengthened community trust and participation in women-led marketplaces.
Additional markets—including Awendo in Ukwala Ward, Kamito in Asembo, Malunga in West Gem, Yuaya in Sigomre Ward, and Ndigwa in South Uyoma Ward—extend this infrastructure network across Siaya County. Complementary water projects, such as boreholes serving schools and public institutions, enhance overall community health, indirectly supporting women-dominated markets by reducing disease burden and healthcare-related income disruptions. Together, these facilities strengthen resilience against climate variability by protecting goods, stabilizing trade, and ensuring continuity of market operations.
Collectively, more than eleven NGAAF-supported markets now directly benefit over 10,000 women business people, with indirect impacts reaching an estimated 50,000 community members. These initiatives align with Siaya County’s broader development ambitions, including household income growth, value addition, and employment creation. While critics may dismiss the projects as simple market stalls, measurable outcomes—ranging from higher vendor incomes to improved hygiene, food safety, and reduced disease incidence—demonstrate their substantial and lasting value.
Christine Ombaka’s approach underscores the transformative power of affirmative action when grounded in practical infrastructure, accountability, and local realities. Her NGAAF-driven market framework stands as a compelling model for sustainable, women-centered development—one that merits replication across Kenya to secure enduring economic empowerment for women business people who sustain local economies.
James’ Kilonzo Bwire is a Media and Communication Practitioner.
