Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said that the government is investigating the recurring market fires in Nairobi county.
Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting with traders who recently lost property to another fire in Gikomba, Kindiki said the state will find the root cause and bring the fires to an end.
He said President William Ruto has already directed security agencies to thoroughly investigate and submit a comprehensive report on long-term solutions to the rampant fires in Gikomba and Toi Markets.
He insisted that there is no way the fires are accidental, as they occur yearly and sometimes multiple times a year.
“Going forward, Gikomba, Toi and other markets that have had repeated incidents of fire, we must go to the root cause and therefore the president has directed relevant agencies to investigate.
“The causes of these fires, it doesn’t make sense to imagine that all these things are accidents because they keep on happening year in year out. That work is ongoing and we are going to make sure that we get to the root of this matter and solve it once and for all,” the Deputy President said.
He disclosed that the Government is soon embarking on the construction of at least 10 modern, high-rise markets, including in Gikomba, Toi, and Muthurwa to accommodate traders in a dignified, orderly and structured way.
Kindiki said the Kenya Kwanza administration is determined to modernize trade and dignify traders so that they can work in a place that is up to standard with all the required amenities.
He noted that these markets will have facilities like lactating rooms for breastfeeding mothers, as well as cold rooms for traders who deal in fresh and perishable goods.
“Our agenda for business people is to ensure that all traders have dignified places to conduct their businesses. BottomUp Economic Transformation means that even business people who have small, micro and medium businesses should trade in a dignified place with all facilities they require. Water, lighting, good infrastructure and that is why we are constructing 400 modern markets across Kenya.
“Ten of those markets are being done within the city as national government projects. Once we finish constructing, we will hand them over to the respective county governments to run them together with the traders so that we will not be having this issue of fire every time,” the DP said.
Kindiki added that the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) and Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) have also been directed to immediately embark on construction of expanded access roads in Gikomba, Muthurwa, Toi markets to facilitate easier movement of people and goods.
He said this will also facilitate faster response to emergencies by relevant agencies, should there be a disaster.
