Embakasi West MP calls for probe into surge of fires across Nairobi markets

Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje has called for a quick probe into a troubling surge of fires that destroyed major Nairobi markets.

Since the start of August, seven markets have been engulfed in flames, causing devastating financial losses for local traders.

The recent spate of fires has sparked alarm over public safety and the adequacy of the government's emergency response, prompting Mwenje's call for immediate action to address the crisis.

"These fires are not just isolated incidents; they are a clear indication of deeper issues within our markets. The devastation these traders are facing is unimaginable, and we must act swiftly," he said.

On Friday, August 2, 2024, a market near Thika Road Mall was engulfed in flames.

The following day, Saturday, August 3, 2024, fires broke out at Toi Market in Kibra and the Umoja Open Air Market in Embakasi West, leaving both in ruins. Further, on the same day between 4 am and 6 am, Mathare 5A Market and Kayole Market next to Naivas in Embakasi Central were also destroyed.

As a result, MP Mwenje requested the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security to provide a detailed report on their findings.

"We need transparency and accountability. The traders and the public deserve to know what is causing these fires and what is being done to prevent them," he urged.

The MP also stressed the need for immediate government intervention to support the affected traders. "The government must put in place measures to compensate the traders who have lost everything. We cannot leave them to fend for themselves," he insisted.

The first-term lawmaker emphasised the importance of implementing long-term strategies to protect Nairobi's markets from future disasters.

"We need a proactive approach, not just reactive responses. It's time for the government to take action and ensure our markets are safe," Mwenje concluded.

Over the weekend, a section of Toi market was razed down after a fire destroyed stalls.

Last year, on June 11, 2023, an inferno destroyed a huge area of the Toi market, prompting Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to offer assistance to entrepreneurs in rebuilding their shops.

"We have assessed the damage and we will help you rebuild," he said then

Sakaja added that plans to create ample road access inside the market will also be incorporated into the rebuilding project to allow emergency vehicles to gain access during similar incidences.

The Governor was obliged to leave the impacted traders when they chased him away during his visit.

Stones were being thrown at the scene of the market fire from all directions, and his security was trying to keep the governor safe.

The plight of market traders victimised by fires has remained the same for years, with the fires posing a continual threat to their livelihood.

The Toi market, like Gikomba, has suffered from periodic fires, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars in commodities.

Traders at the markets lament the unfulfilled promises to investigate the fires. No investigation has ever been completed, nor have the findings been made public.