Nairobi City County Governor, Johnson Sakaja, had an egg on his face on Saturday when a group of youths in Toi Market, whom he represents as governor, pelted him with stones as he tried to show solidarity with them following an inferno which turned a larger section of the market to ashes.
The incident left four people dead and hundreds of traders in a busy market counting their losses.
Some of the rowdy traders revealed that they were agitated by promises made earlier by the county government, following a similar incident in June 2023.
Situated on a four-acre plot of land that has been at the centre of conflict between traders and a private developer, who claimed ownership, the market is covered with makeshift structures made of iron sheets, some of which are covered with polythene.
Yasmin Mubarak (right) and Adelite Aonga sit next to what remains of their business after a fire burnt down their stall at Toi Market in Kibra Stalls on August 3, 2024. The early Saturday morning fire burnt down hundreds of stalls.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu| Nation Media
When the governor came to power in 2022, his first budget for the 2023/2024 fiscal year indicated that the markets would be big beneficiaries of his allocation.
In the same budget, Toi Market was allocated Sh100 million, which would have seen its status upgraded to a modern market.
Among the features that would have been installed in the market include hydrants which were to be used in case of fire, permanent stalls for traders, a perimeter wall and others.
However, the last financial year ended without any development in the Toi Market, despite earlier assurances from the governor that its status needed to be improved to avert frequent fire outbreaks.
Also, Maji Mazuri Market had been allocated Sh150 million, Kangemi Market Sh150 million, Mutuini Market Sh100 million, and the proposed market in Hospital Ward had been allocated Sh100 million.
Under the same financial year, the Nairobi County Assembly had allocated Sh40 million to Ngumba Market, Sh30 million to Karen Market, Sh20 million to Jujo Market, Sh20 million towards Club 36 Market, and Sh20 million to Baba Dogo Market.
The Nation’s attempts to reach out to Nairobi County Director of Markets Ms Joyce Kyengo to find out the circumstances under which the Toi Market project failed to take place despite the allocation of funds didn’t bear fruit as calls and messages went unanswered.
The remains of a tomato stall at Toi market in Kibra, where a fire broke out on August 3, 2024 and burnt down a number of stalls.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu| Nation Media Group
While traders were complaining of empty promises, Mr Sakaja accused his political rivals of mobilising a group of youths to cause incitement and thwart his engagement with the affected traders.
“We will support their families during this trying time. For the traders, we will rebuild and help you get back to your feet. Thanks to the first responders and all who tried to help salvage the situation. We had a total of 7 fires across the city last night, and all affected will get support. For those who caused incitement, it is well, nothing will stop us from supporting our people,” Governor Sakaja said.
The governor was chased alongside Woodley Ward Member of County Assembly, Mr Davidson Ngibuini.
In June last year, the Majority Leader in the Nairobi County Assembly Mr Peter Imwatok proposed a motion to improve the standard of structures in Toi Market, as well as renaming it.
Mr Imwatok had said that rebranding the market to Raila Odinga Market would avert it from frequent fire incidents.
“Maybe the name has become a problem. We are planning as an assembly to move a motion to change Toi Market to Raila Odinga Market so that at the end of the day, we are protecting the legacy of this market through a sworn allegiance to our party leader,” said Mr Imwatok.
Traders at the Toi market in Kibra sit in a half-burned stall after a fire gutted their shops on August 3, 2024.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu| Nation Media Group
However, the motion has never been tabled before the Assembly to date even as the market continues to report fire incidences.
In the previous administration of Mike Sonko, Toi Market was to be flattened to pave the way for a mega project, which was to construct a modern market and 3,000 market stalls as well as affordable houses around it.
This is the second fire incident in Toi Market under the leadership of Governor Sakaja, with little effort in place to avert fire incidents from razing markets.
Gikomba Market, which is one of the biggest markets in the county has also been facing frequent fire incidences with promises of having permanent structures and a fire station within the market, which has never been implemented.
