Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has promised to help traders who were affected by a fire that burnt down a large section of Toi market in Kibra, Nairobi county to rebuild their stalls.
After paying a visit to the affected market, Governor Sakaja took to social media to sympathize with the traders on the losses they incurred.
He noted that traders will be aided with temporal material and food support as they await to commence rebuilding.
“Traders at Toi Market have lost so much after last night’s inferno. Poleni sana,” Sakaja tweeted Sunday night.
“We have assessed the damage and we will help you rebuild. In the meantime, we have organised food and material support.”
Governor Sakaja added that plans to create ample road access inside the market will also be incorporated into the rebuilding project to allow emergency vehicles to gain access during similar incidences.
The fire razed down thousands of stalls in the wee hours of Sunday morning, leading to thousands of traders counting losses.
According to some of the affected traders, the fire broke out at around 1am after an electrical blow-up in one of the stalls which then spread to many others.
Efforts to douse the fire on time turned futile as the traders say that the fire brigade team had limited access into the market and was forced to operate from the main road.
Others have however claimed that three firefighting trucks arrived at the scene but had no water.
“They came and they stopped on the road, they didn’t help but there is no path to gain access inside the market and there are even gates erected in most places,” said one trader.
“How can you bring trucks that have no water, I witnessed it myself, three of them came and they told us that they need to get the water from Nairobi water,” said another trader.
