Gikomba Market Is On Fire Again As Government Plays Dumb

Gikomba market has today, Saturday morning of 1st February 2020, gone up in flames in what is sadly viewed as yearly fires that cost the traders millions and at times even lives.

The Saturday morning fire razed stalls at the second-hand Gikomba market in the wee hours of Saturday morning and burnt down property of unknown value.

According to the Kenya Red Cross, response teams are currently at the scene of the fire at the Gikomba market where no deaths or injuries have been reported.

This is the latest incident where part of the market has gone up in flames in what has come to be an annual fire event that burns up property worth millions with the traders pointing at arson meant to kick them out.

Traders seeking anonymity have pointed out that the fires at the Gikomba market are meant to discourage them and have them closing business as there are investors who have been eyeing the parcel of land in the last decade.

Gikomba market experienced three fire incidents last year, 2019, alone, during which the government added on its promises to get to the root of the matter and also construct better stalls, projects that have continually stagnated.

The last fire at Gikomba market was in August 2019, property worth more than 100 million shillings was reduced to ashes at the market.

The Nairobi county government has severally sought to assure residents that the Gikomba market fires will be a thing of the past but that too has not found any rooting as traders continue to count losses yearly.

Gikomba market houses over 40,000 traders and is a source of livelihood for thousands of Kenyans with the sale of second-hand clothes, shoes, utensils, and other kitchen appliances sections of the market selling food and construction material.

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