#ShujaaWaJamii: Community-Led Effort Unlocks Nyanchabo Market Public Toilet After 10-Year Delay

For nearly a decade, the Nyanchabo Market Public Toilet in Masaba Ward, Migori County remained completed but unused. Despite being constructed by the County Government, the facility could not be opened due to a myriad of challenges, leaving traders and residents without a critical public service.

Kenyan law requires that public markets be equipped with sanitary facilities to protect public health and uphold human dignity. Various legal frameworks — including the Public Health Act and county public sanitation policies — oblige market administrators to ensure that traders and consumers have access to essential amenities such as public toilets. However, with the facility in Nyanchabo remaining closed for years, the community was forced to cope with the consequences of inadequate sanitation.

In September 2025, SIGs Place and market stakeholders began a collaborative and community‐led process to resolve the matter. A series of engagements brought together traders, residents, and government officials at both county and national levels. These conversations focused on clarifying the root of the stalemate, reactivating local market leadership structures, and jointly identifying a workable solution.

For the community, the need was urgent and practical. Traders shared real stories of how the lack of a functioning toilet had affected them. One resident recounted finding someone from the market using his farmland as a toilet — a situation that nearly escalated into violence. Such incidents highlighted not only the sanitation crisis but also the threats to safety, dignity, and social cohesion that arose from the prolonged closure.

Through collective action, dialogue, and renewed coordination, consensus was finally reached, and the Nyanchabo Market Public Toilet was on 20^th November 2025, officially opened for use. The achievement demonstrates how community leadership, when supported with the right platforms and partnerships, can resolve long-standing public challenges and restore essential services.

This initiative is part of the Shujaa Accountability Program, supported by Siasa Place.