Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Nairobi County governor Johnson Sakaja on Thursday, December 29, provided support worth millions to Gikomba traders.
Nairobi Governor offered support worth Ksh2.4 million to Gikomba traders just a day after a fire razed down stalls in the market.
The governor delivered the donations during a tour of the affected area in the company of Starehe Member of Parliament Amos Mwago and other leaders.
Among the donated materials donated were iron sheets which Sakaja stated would help to reinstate business stalls for the affected traders.
"With Gikomba traders earlier today when I delivered support worth Ksh2.4 million as well as 200k to the family of Alfred Mugo Wahome who unfortunately succumbed after an inferno at Gikomba," the Governor stated.
Further, Sakaja stated that his government was planning to expedite the process of constructing a fire station within the market to help in timely intervention in the event of an outbreak.
As part of his mitigatory measures, Sakaja revealed his intention to push for the processing of the public title deed for Gikomba Market.
According to him, recognition of Gikomba as a public market would help to deter what he termed as "opportunistic arsonists" who were alleged to be behind the frequent fire outbreaks experienced in the market.
"This will discourage opportunistic arsonists. Poleni sana; this will be a thing of the past," he stated.
Earlier on in the day, former Starehe MP Charles Njagua delivered a donation of Ksh1 million to the victims on behalf of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The fire outbreak came two months after another one was reported in October, barely two months after Sakaja's assumption of office as the Governor.
Speaking during his tour to Gikomba in October, Sakaja vowed to address the infernos for good.
Traders have incurred multiple losses owing to the problem that has believed them since the 2010s. No conclusive report was found regarding the cause or culprits behind the outbreaks despite promises by the government to investigate.
