The perennial inferno at the Gikomba Market in Nairobi has struck again.
In what has become an all too familiar pattern, the fire broke out in the dead of the night on Wednesday. Reports indicate that Nairobi firefighters arrived on time and contained the fire before it spread to other parts of the popular market space.
Several business stalls were, however, razed down by the inferno. No injuries had been reported by the time of publishing this article.
The latest inferno at Gikomba comes just seven months after another fire claimed the lives of 17 people and left about 70 others with serious burn injuries. Property worth millions of shillings was also destroyed.
In October 2017, another fire broke out in the market, with President Uhuru Kenyatta calling for investigations to establish the cause of the tragedy that occurred barely one month after a similar inferno in another section of the market.
The frequent occurrence of Gikomba fires has raised eyebrows, and this latest one is no exception.
Kenyans on Twitter have come out in numbers to express their shock at the Wednesday inferno. Most argue that underhand dealings associated with land grabbing are the cause of the persistent fire outbreaks.
We have sampled some reactions below.
Let no one lie to you about Gikomba fires being an accident.
Just check the response of fire fighters and the proximity of fire station given there’s zero traffic at night!
Someone big at City Hall is calling the shots!
The market must be relocated!#GikombaFire— INCREDIBLY TERRIBLE (@allen_arnold) February 6, 2019
Why is it that immediately the businesses are full of stock that’s when the fire breaks, this Gikomba fire ? is stagemanaged #GikombaFire pic.twitter.com/Cz4mqq2ccG
— Char-lee Oddie (@CharleeOddie1) February 6, 2019
Dear Sons and daughters of lesser gods hustling in Gikomba market, these crooks are determined to frustrate your progress, grab your spaces and expand their illegal territory. You Should stand your ground and fight back or consider relocating your hustles #Gikombafire
— RETIRED COMRADE (@retired_comrade) February 6, 2019
should Gikomba burn every now & then? ??
And who is always behind these fires? ??
feeling so sad for family, friends & everyone else who depend on the market wholly for their livelihood.??#GikombaFire pic.twitter.com/6zL69NmTFN
— MAINGI ?? (@Maingi_alex_) February 6, 2019
Sad news again inside our big market tonight #GikombaFire
First step in interrogating this cause and permanently finding its solution is take away the ownership of all stalls from their owners to either county government or NG @MikeSonko @FredMatiangi @Nairobi_News pic.twitter.com/xDDoiAs9J9— Johnny Thomo (@dejaseme) February 6, 2019
GIKOMBA FIRES !
1. March 2012
2. March 2014,
3. October 2014
4. June 2015
5. October 2017
6. June 2018.
7. February 2019
The relevant parties should explain this,these are never accidental,most of the time they’ll do this before putting up shopping complexes #GikombaFire pic.twitter.com/EQbKrBpCmR— ⓧⓔⓔⓓⓞ???? (@iamxeedo_byron) February 6, 2019
Gikomba Fires are like CORRUPTION!
Nobody is prosecuted.
Keeps repeating itself.
It won’t be the last.
Its the poor who suffer!#GikombaFire pic.twitter.com/jqjMODMfKV— MWANANCHI (@Mwana_nchi) February 6, 2019
Waah disheartening every time year there is fire.a well calculated move by cartrels.we will hear government giving dead promises without bringing culprit to book #GikombaFire
— gideon (@gideon52924287) February 6, 2019
There’s a big construction of storey building going on at Kariko few meters from Riverside Roundabout we want to know the Owner. This might be the same grabbers burning Gikomba yearly. #GikombaFire
— Nicholas Trump Oseko (@Nichonasri1) February 6, 2019
Who is responsible for Gekomba Fires #GikombaFire Vote And Retweet to share your views
— Nicholas Trump Oseko (@Nichonasri1) February 6, 2019
#GikombaFire is this a cartel. pic.twitter.com/SsLkszN9I1
— Dan kuria (@Itsdankuria) February 6, 2019
Sad state of affairs , Gikomba in fire again. #GikombaFire pic.twitter.com/eFO8CaItlW
— Kiptoo Emmanuel?? (@kiptoomanuu) February 6, 2019
Another day we’re experiencing the Annual Gikomba Fire festival. The Big Question that has never been Answered is — WHO’s Burning Gikomba Market? #GikombaFire pic.twitter.com/XuW7tLktlO
— Higuained (@_atanasi) February 6, 2019
A parent somewhere will not pay school fees/ meals/rent for you to drive the latest car, wear the latest designs and fill your bank accounts with huge chunks of money. May you never have peace!! #GikombaFire pic.twitter.com/eKrZDB1R5C
— Wahinya Charlie?? (@Wahinya_Charlie) February 6, 2019
Why is this Gikomba fire coming too obvious. I feel sorry for everyone who gets daily bread from there ?? #GikombaFire
— Yvonne (@EvyonK) February 6, 2019
So every Year Gikomba must experience this? But why? Government should investigate this forreal #Gikombafire
— #ElvisNeverGetsMad?????? (@IamElvisMvoi) February 6, 2019
Perpetrators of the Gikomba fire ought to be tried, majority of families earn their livelihoods from the market. It is unfortunate. #GikombaFire
— Sheehraw (@Sheehraw) February 6, 2019
This must be a game being played behind our backs as Kenyans, most likely we hustling Kenyans. Gikomba can’t be ever an inferno periodically. Each year ati kuna moto ? ? ? this is a game and @UKenyatta
Order investigations we need answers now!!!!!! #GikombaFire pic.twitter.com/QyiXIdOR5I— Rafiki_ke ?? (@fidel_Ke) February 6, 2019
