Sonko wants DCI to probe Gikomba market fire
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has invited the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate the cause of the fire that claimed the lives of at least 15 people in Gikomba Market on Thursday.
Governor Sonko said that a multi-agency team will be formed to investigate the cause of the fire, adding that the county government will work closely with DCI investigators to unearth the cause of perennial fire incidents as well as look into ways of preventing similar incidents in the future.
“My administration together with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations is probing the incident to ascertain the cause of the fire as well come up with long term solutions to the perennial fire disasters at Gikomba Market,” said Governor Sonko.
He was speaking on Friday when he paid a visit to survivors of the incident at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Prior to the visit to KNH Sonko, had not been too the scene of the incident.
ARSON ATTACK
He said the multi-agency team will be led by the DCI which will also look into the Korogocho Market fire, which happened just a day after the Gikomba fire.
Unconfirmed reports have claimed that the fire in the latter market could be an arson attack by land grabbers interested occupying the piece of land the market sits on.
Sonko also said the DCI will be tasked with finding the truth, warning that those who will be found guilty will face the full force of the law.
“We want Nairobi to be a safe place to invest and live in. We cannot allow our people to die in fire outbreak, we must get a solution,” he said.
Ms Sarah Nanjala, one of the victims who is recuperating at KNH alongside her six-month-old daughter, said she was happy that the Governor paid them a visit.
“We are glad that some of us, like me and my daughter are alive. We wish to ask for your intervention, let’s not have any fire outbreaks in future,” said Ms Nanjala.