Muguka traders and the business community at Kiritiri Market, Embu County, are an excited lot, after a bank opened a branch in the area.

Kirititiri market is the largest Muguka market in Mbeere South, and traders said the Equity Bank branch will make it easy for them to deposit huge sums of money from the stimulant trade and other farming activities.

Many operators decried a surge of insecurity where many have lost money as the nearest bank has been in Embu town, about 30 kilometres away.

Kiritiri Business Community Chairperson James Runji noted that the business community has been incurring losses and spending time while risking their safety to take large sums of money to Embu town.

Speaking during the opening of the Equity bank branch, Mbeere South DCC George Omollo urged residents to avoid walking with huge amounts of money, adding that the area has recorded a number of cases where traders have lost money after trading.

He also noted that many elderly people who have been travelling to Embu will get the services at Kiritiri with ease.

The branch manager, Teresia Migua, noted that many customers are on internet banking but often require loans and other services physically.

She added that the Mbeere region will now benefit from wings to fly program through the branch that is now allocated eight slots.

Mbeere MP Eng Nebart Muriuki observed that Mbeere region has been marginalized for years despite constituting half of Embu County and will grow economically with the set up of the branch.