Sonko silent as yet another fire razes Gikomba market
Traders at Gikomba market woke up Wednesday to find their wares reduced to ashes after fire burnt down a section of the popular market in Nairobi.
The latest fire comes just two months after a similar fire gutted sections of the biggest open-air market in the country.
The market has suffered numerous fires recently.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko promise to form a multi-agency team to investigate the cause of the fires has never been fulfilled.
The Wednesday morning inferno broke out at around 4am at Line 42 and razed a section that houses stalls with shoes and apparel.
Several emergency teams including firefighters from the Nairobi City County arrived on site to douse the fire, according to the Red Cross.
Gikomba Market in Nairobi is on fire. Efforts to contain the situation underway. pic.twitter.com/DYQy9DFbUB
— Kenya Red Cross (@KenyaRedCross) April 10, 2019
There are no reported casualties in the incident.
In October, 2017, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered police to investigate the cause of a fire at the market that had destroyed property worth millions.
“The incident has displaced many traders from all over the country and investigations should be launched to find the culprits and action be taken against them,” he said then.
None of his directives to forestall future fires has ever been implemented.
Traders on Wednesday woke up to find their wares at the popular Gikomba market in ashes after property of unknown value were destroyed after a fire burnt down a section the popular market in Nairobi. pic.twitter.com/1WP5t5LKyd
— Hilary Kimuyu (@hilarykimuyu) April 10, 2019