Traders at the popular Gikomba market in Nairobi have incurred huge losses once more, as an early morning fire razed down their properties.
This the second fire incident this year at the market and traders are reading malice into it, accusing individuals of burning down their properties purpose.
Wilkister Wanjiku, a trader who sells imported materials accused the police of playing a part in the fire incidents since nobody has ever been apprehended for them.
''The police always come here after each and every fire incident promise to investigate and bring culprits to book, only to go and come back after another fire incident with the same script, we suspect that they must have a hand to it, or are in the pockets of the cartels who engage in the burning of our properties.'' said the fuming mother.
Traders lamented that the fires follow a laid pattern, in a specific area, during specific times, Marcus a tailor who was lucky that his property was saved from the fire had a clue of what seemed to be happening.
''There is a Tanzanian cartel that controls this market. You either adhere to their rules or suffer the consequences. Traders who are defiant have arson visited on their properties at the hands of paid street urchins'' says Marcus Oduori a tailor at the market.
No one was injured as the fire occurred at night and traders were away in their homes following curfew directives issued by the government.
Traders have now been left to start afresh as they try to raise their businesses from the ashes left by the nocturnal inferno.
In June 2018 a major fire incident at the Kwa Mbao section claimed 15 lives as it razed down properties worth millions.
Nairobi County at that time promised a speedy investigation into the fires and ensure the culprits are brought to book but to date, nothing has happened.
