The Gikomba Market has been associated with tragic fires for decades.

From the 2014 inferno that took the lives of 15 people, to the 2021 fire that reduced more than 900 stalls to ashes, countless traders have watched their livelihoods burn over time and again.

In a statement, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the Gikomba Quarry Road Market Block D, a seven-storey building, is currently under its finishing phase, and will contain over 1,700 traders in safe and well-structured areas.

It boasts of a basement parking, a day care centre, a youth centre, a cold room, and a hardware section, both functional and dignified to the hard-working business community in Nairobi.

Sakaja Pledges Safe, Organised Spaces for Traders

“For years, Gikomba has been a place of pain for many families who have lost everything to fires. We committed to end that cycle of loss. What we’re building here is not just a market,it is hope, order, and dignity for our leaders,” said Governor Sakaja.

The Governor further explained that the Gikomba project is part of the countywide projects of modernizing the markets across Nairobi so that the small-scale traders can operate in safe, clean, and well-managed environments.

“Our traders deserve decent spaces to do business. When we empower them, we empower the heart of Nairobi’s economy,” Sakaja emphasized.

In addition to improving safety, the project has already provided hundreds of jobs locally in the course of its construction and is likely to contribute greatly to the economic activity once operational.

Among the ongoing projects is the Mutuini Market in the Dagoretti South Sub-County, which is nearing completion.

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Once opened, it will accommodate over 500 traders in a well-organized environment with up-to-date facilities, including cold rooms, butcheries, proper drainage systems, and better lighting in a way that will make the environment much safer and hygienic.

“We are moving from chaos to structure, from makeshift stalls to modern spaces. Every trader in Nairobi deserves to work with dignity, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering,” Sakaja reiterated.

As Gikomba’s new market nears completion, the traders are hopeful of their first major break since they have continually been faced with losses due to constant infernos.

In collaboration with the National Government, the modern Gikomba Market is likely to restore order and dignity to the traders in Nairobi.

The Gikomba project is just one among several modern markets being constructed across Nairobi, including, Karen, Kahawa West, and other sub-counties, all aimed at transforming local economies.

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Governor Sakaja
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