'Declare Gikomba a disaster area', Kamukunji MP says after another fire

Kamukunji MP Yussuf Hassan has urged President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to declare Gikomba market a disaster area.

His sentiments come after another unexplained fire destroyed sections of the popular market on Saturday morning.

The inferno razed the market's Gashosho and dry fish market sections before spreading to parts of Gorofani and Bondeni estates which border the market.

The fire was eventually stopped by firefighters but property worth millions of shillings was destroyed during the incident which left many traders counting their losses.

It remains unclear whether any lives were claimed by the inferno.

"I'm appealing to President William Ruto and Governor Sakaja to declare Gikomba a disaster," said Hassan in a tweet on Thursday.

According to Hassan, both the national and county governments should come up with a permanent solution to address the perpetual fires.

"They should set up a special fire fund, and provide urgent assistance to the victims of the fire. They need help to rebuild and restock and get back on their feet again," he said.

Over the years, a number of fires have ravaged Gikomba market, East Africa's largest open market. Despite police stating that they are investigating the incidents no arrests have ever been made.

In October 2017, the government said that it had laid a Ksh.19 billion blue-print to construct a multi-storey market where the more than 20,000 Gikomba traders were to be accommodated as well as ensure an end to the frequent fires.