Fire guts down Marikiti market in Nairobi CBD following land ownership dispute

The fire which started in the wee hours of the morning occurred in the backdrop of a land ownership dispute with Kenya Railways.

Traders lost their wares, which mainly included stored agricultural products, as many suggested the fire was caused by arson.

Among the first leaders to respond to the fire was Starehe MP Charles Njagua who condemned the incident.

He stated that the traders were not notified to get a chance to salvage their goods.

“I will follow up on this matter through Parliament. We cannot become a nation where state corporations resort to criminal activities to clear land. We have laws. Failing to abide by them would lead to anarchy.

Marikiti traders deserved notice and a chance to salvage their goods,” he stated.

The legislator further stated that the Covid-19 pandemic had already depressed the economy and it was unfair to destroy the traders’ stock.

“Covid-19 is real. Joblessness is a harsh reality in today’s Kenya and businesses are struggling to survive. Where will these traders get the funds to repay loans for their burned stock? I’ll make sure that we hold the state corporation accountable,” he added.

Earlier in the year, Kenya Railways (KR) moved to reclaim its land reserve for the construction of the Nairobi mass transit railway.

Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga stated that the land reserve had been grabbed by politicians, churches, and businesses, noting that demolition of illegal structures was underway.

“Persons who have settled on the railway reserve land within Nairobi and its environs must vacate to give way to implementation of the Nairobi Rail Masterplan,” he warned.

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