A fire disaster is looming at Chichwa market in Kisumu following the constant outbreaks at the facility posing risk to thousands of traders.
The county government is being blamed for doing little to avert the situation.
The fire incidents have been attributed to food vendors using fryers to cook chips within the enclosed iron sheet made market which accommodates more than 500 traders.
The traders were relocated to the market by the Governor Anyang Nyong’o-led administration after being evicted from the streets to pave way for Sh241 million Non-Motorised Transport system project.
The market was funded by the World Bank. The county has so far relocated 740 traders at the Sh37 million market — a component of the NMT project.
Three fire incidents have been reported with no action being taken, putting traders at a risk of losing their lives and goods worth millions of shillings.
On Tuesday at about 8.30am, afire broke out in one of the stalls after one of the traders left their fryer on with cooking oil in it.
It took the intervention of a security guard to switch off the power before the fire could spread further.
The watchman was not spared as he suffered electric shock and sustained minor injuries.
Interestingly, the electricity wiring system at the market is purely for lighting and not for heavy gadgets with high power consumption which food vendors are using within the market.
The electricity experts say the power at the market is being overloaded terming it a ticking time bomb. The fryer has caused fire incidents three times.
The current connection according to the experts was not appropriate for use of fryers and other high voltage gadgets.
Early this year, another fire incident was reported with the market nearly being razed down.
Last year, there was also a fire incident after a meter box exploded causing power sparks which sent traders scampering for safety.
Traders blamed the incident on those using fryers. Most of the food vendors have rented the stalls which the county government said they gave out to genuine traders.
Curiously, the traders who were given the stalls by the county government are back on the streets after renting them out.
They have opted to sell their wares on walkways thereby obstructing pedestrians.
Some traders claimed the market has now been overtaken by food vendors making the environment unfit for those dealing in clothes, shoes, electrical appliances, beauty products, toys and sportswear among others.
Outside the market, traders have also abandoned the stalls and placed the wares on pathways thereby disadvantaging to those selling goods inside the stall.
The move blocks customers from going inside the market as they opt to buy from traders on the streets.
A number of county government staff have also been accused of having stalls at the market, including senior officials while some of the genuine traders lack spaces to do business with eyes now on Nyong’o to crack the whip on such errant workers.
In the market, some food vendors are using firewood and charcoal to cook.
The market also has a stench with traders being accused of urinating in plastic bottles and the banned polythene bags and dumping them carelessly yet the market is a few metres away from the public toilet.
During a meeting on Wednesday at the market after the fire incident, traders said there was an illegal power connection which should be stopped to avert possible disaster.
They also raised complaints of rampant theft of phones.
The traders resolved that those using fryers to stop with immediate effects while those cooking inside the stalls were given until end month to relocate or move to the open section.
“The smoke bellowing from these food vendors is making our clothes and shoes dirty making it hard to sell to customers. The stalls were not meant for cooking,” Rose Auma, a mitumba trader said.
Trader James Oloo said those using fryers have rented the stalls from original owners are now selling their ware on the streets.
He blamed the disorganisation in the market and fire cases on lack of leadership.
Oloo said those claiming to be officials are imposters as they were not elected by traders with some having more than one stall.
“We need to elect officials, especially representatives of each bloc from A to D to help streamline the operations within the market,” Oloo said.
To restore sanity in the market, he said the county should conduct audits of stalls to establish genuine traders and those who have rented them out.
“We demand that the county spearheads the election of market officials. This will enable us to be organised and manage the market well,” Oloo said.
Traders said the market was not built for cooking and the mushrooming of food kiosks have made it inhabitable.
The design of the market is not appropriate for cooking, making the market congested.
Last year, Kisumu city manager Abala Wanga warned cartels to keep off business stalls meant for traders or risk arrest. Wanga said the retail space is purely for traders.
Wanga also warned that the county will repossess stalls from those who have rented them out.
He said the stalls remain the property of the Kisumu government and are not transferable to a third party. “A trader must neither sublet a stall nor sell it. Action will be taken against such individuals,” Wanga said.
He warned that any breach of this shall lead to automatic revocation of the offer letter. A total of 1,190 traders were affected by the NMT project, which covers Ang’awa street, Oginga Odinga street and Jomo Kenyatta avenue.
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