Traders at Gikomba Market are counting losses after goods of unknown value were gutted in a mysterious fire on Sunday morning.
This is the second fire to be reported at the popular market this month and the fifth this year.
The cause of the fire is yet to be established but traders allege a human hand in the perennial fires.
The fire broke out in the wee hours of Sunday morning despite the heavy rains experienced in Nairobi last night.
The current situation on the ground at Gikomba Market after last night's inferno.
Millions reduced to smoke. pic.twitter.com/1i8NAl87vV— Thika Town Today – 3T (@ThikaTowntoday) November 28, 2021
The other fire incident was reported three weeks ago — on November 8.
The inferno broke out two days after the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) received the court’s nod to evict a section of traders dealing with secondhand clothes within the open-air market to pave way for expansion of the neighbouring Pumwani Majengo Health Centre.
Read: Gikomba Traders In Anguish After More Structures Were Demolished Overnight Under Police Supervision
Hundreds of traders operating at Gacucu Gikomba open-air market had protested the eviction move. They wanted the court to stop NMS from threatening or interfering with their occupation of the land pending a hearing of their case.
In October another fire reduced traders’ property to ashes.
The fire is said to have started from the southern part of the market opposite the jua kali section and adjacent to Muthurwa Primary School.
Read Also: Sonko To Upgrade Gikomba Market Into A High-rise Business Centre (Photos)
In August, another fire broke out affecting traders with stores along Molo Line area also known as Ghorofani.
The women clothing stores in the area were gutted down and nothing was salvaged.
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko said in 2019 that building a modern market would be the solution to the perennial problem.
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