At The Market

Kigali contains three open-air markets: Central Market, Kimisagara Market, and Kimironko Market.  With Gwen and her housekeeper, we visited Kimironko which is the largest and most organized of the three.  The market has just about everything: meats, vegetables, fruits, flours, beans, flowers, clothing, fabrics, construction materials, the list is endless.  Supposedly the market included live chickens, turkeys, and rabbits but we didn’t see those which was fine with me.  I’d want to take them home as pets, not to eat. 

As soon as you park your car, people rush up and offer to watch it for you.  You select one person, who stays by your car to keep others away; you pay him upon your return.  The next wave coming at you are porters who offer to carry your purchases, find what you need, and barter for you.  Again, you want to hire one immediately, he’ll then help brush off any other offers.  Though some can be persistent – even after we “hired” our porter, one guy would not take no for an answer! 

As you enter the market, you are overwhelmed with the number of people, stalls, items for sale, smells, everything.  Everyone is moving, moving.  As soon as you express interest in an item, watch out: they are ready to bargain and want to make a deal.  And you need to bargain since, as a foreigner, the price automatically goes up!

Below are a couple of shots of Kimironko’s food section.

Enclosed and separate from the food items were the stalls selling fabrics, handmade items (baskets, jewelry, placemats, etc.), used clothing, you name it, they sell it here.  This part of the market also housed the seamstresses (such as these two women below) who would make up anything you wished.  They used foot propelled sewing machines – no electricity necessary. 

I purchased a bag and fabric from this lady.

I was so delighted when I caught sight of this bunch of bananas that I had to take a picture (I’m sure all the folks around thought me a loon!)  Then I came to the end of the aisle and saw that identical banana bunches filled the entire middle corridor.  I would have taken a shot of that, but there were too many folks elbowing me out of the way as I stood gawking.

I could have wandered around for several hours, but everyone else was “let’s get out of here!”  So I quickly took an outside shot which I hope gives you some perspective on the size of the Kimironko market!