Governor Sakaja vows no displacement for Gikomba traders after massive blaze tears through market

Governor Johnson Sakaja has pledged that Gikomba traders will not be displaced after the devastating fire, assuring them their spaces will be protected as Nairobi County rolls out recovery and rebuilding efforts. (Photo: Abdirahman Khalif)

By Rachael Mutabasi
Sunday, June 21, 2026

Nairobi County launches urgent recovery and rebuilding efforts as Sakaja assures traders they will not be displaced following the deadly Gikomba Market fire.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has assured traders at Gikomba Market that none will be displaced following a devastating early-morning fire that destroyed large sections of the busy trading hub and left at least two people dead.

In a statement on Sunday, Sakaja said the county government is rolling out urgent recovery and rebuilding measures after the blaze tore through the market, disrupting livelihoods in one of Nairobi’s key economic centres.

“To the Gikomba business community, your pain is our pain,” the Governor said, expressing solidarity with traders affected by the inferno.

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“My administration is already reviewing immediate logistical mechanisms to support your recovery and help you rebuild. We will not abandon you,” he said.

The Governor confirmed that the fire claimed at least two lives—an adult male and an adult female—whose identities have not yet been formally established. He extended condolences to the bereaved families and said authorities were working to identify the victims.

Sakaja also commended firefighters and emergency crews who responded under difficult conditions, noting that several responders were injured in the line of duty. He said civilians with minor injuries were treated on site by county ambulance teams and the Kenya Red Cross.

However, he condemned disruptions to emergency operations, including incidents in which responders were attacked.

“A National Youth Service (NYS) fire engine was stoned and forcibly turned away by rowdy youth,” he said, warning that such actions severely hampered early containment efforts.

To manage the aftermath, the county has launched an enumeration exercise to assess losses and identify affected traders. Sakaja said he had engaged chairpersons from all 32 sections of Gikomba, alongside the County Commissioner, Member of Parliament, and MCA, to coordinate recovery efforts.