Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan says deadly Gikomba fire the worst tragedy in market’s history

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

By Rachael Mutabasi
Sunday, June 21, 2026

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Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan says the deadly Gikomba Market blaze is the worst in the market's history, announcing police deployment and calling for urgent government support for affected traders.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan has described Sunday's Gikomba Market fire as the worst tragedy in the market's history, saying leaders have agreed to deploy police officers to secure the area and protect traders' property.

In a statement on Sunday, Yusuf said the decision was reached during an emergency meeting convened after the early morning blaze, which killed three people, injured 17 others and destroyed goods worth billions of shillings.

“Gikomba Market has endured repeated unexplained fire outbreaks. Sadly, today’s incident is the largest conflagration the market has ever seen, causing massive losses to traders and their families,” Yusuf said.

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“This afternoon, together with Nairobi North Sub-Regional County Commissioner Osumba, we held an emergency meeting with the leadership of Gikomba Market. We agreed on immediate next steps, including the deployment of police to secure and protect the market, which remains extremely vulnerable,” the legislator said.

Yusuf said the deployment is intended to safeguard the remaining property as recovery efforts get underway, noting that the market remains highly vulnerable following the inferno.

He also called for urgent intervention from both the national and county governments to support traders whose livelihoods were wiped out by the fire.

The MP said he had informed President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja about the disaster and the need for swift relief measures.

Yusuf is expected to issue a detailed statement on the tragedy in the National Assembly early next week as calls grow for lasting solutions to the recurring fires at Gikomba Market.

Gikomba Market, one of Nairobi's largest trading hubs, has been hit by repeated fire outbreaks over the years.