Nairobi County Governor, Mike Mbuvi Sonko, on Tuesday pledged to give Ksh5 million to facilitate the reconstruction of Toi Market hours after it was destroyed by an inferno.
The popular market located in Kibra, Nairobi, was razed down by a fire that is reported to have started at around 3:30am on Tuesday morning.
While addressing the crowd gathered at the scene of the burnt down market, Sonko informed the public that he would consult with the committee in charge of the market to see to it that Ksh5 million was given towards the rebuilding process.
“Nikitoka hapa, nitatokana committee ya soko, tunaendakutoa shilingi milionitano cash,” loosely translating to “Once we leave here together with the committee in-charge of the market, we’ll withdraw Ksh5 million in cash,”
The governor went on to pledge that he would make his way back to Toi market after getting the cash, to help in the reconstruction process before the end of the day.
“Na mimi mwenyewe na team yangu ya serikali tutarudi hapa leo leo kuanza kujenga hii soko,” (I and my government officials will come back and start the reconstruction process today).
He further affirmed that the county government would immediately conduct investigations into the latest incident.
Traders were left counting their losses after the inferno razed down their stalls at the popular market.
“We did not salvage anything. Our goods were burned. Personally, I have lost Ksh200,000 worth of stock in shoes and other wares I was planning to sell this morning,” one of the stall owners revealed to Daily Nation.
Raila Odinga, a former Kibra Member of Parliament, was also present at the scene and went on to lay the blame squarely at the hands of people he described as land grabbers.
“Kuna wale wanyakuzi ambao wananyakua wakiona kiwanja mahali wanaingia wananyakua, nina hakika kwamba hao ndio wamefanya hii njama ya kuchoma alafu kesho waje na askari hapa waanze kujenga (There are perennial land grabbers who move around grabbing every land they can, I am sure they are responsible for the fire so that they can move in tomorrow with police officers and start putting up buildings),” the governor claimed.
The Tuesday fire was the second time that fire has burned down the market, following a similar incident in 2014.