Fire festival: Tanzanian mafia runs Gikomba market?

 Investigations reveal that the inferno could have been an act of arson     Photo:Jacob Otieno

In 1987 and 1988, Gikomba was flattened. In 1999 and 2000, it was razed down when the government attempted to bring down the growing mitumba business. And since then, there have been several questionable fires. Weeks before the recent tragedy, the market went up in flames in a section where a proposed road is to cut through the market.

 The fire broke out barely a week after the traders fell out with Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) officials over a planned eviction and then protested to the office of the president.

Deputy President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero proposed to rebuild the market for the traders, but they have declined the offer, saying they suspect ill motive.

In the 2015/16 budget, Governor Kidero has proposed Sh570 million for development of new markets, Gikomba being among them. “We suspect it was arson. We can’t trust them. Just wait and see how they will grab that estate. The moment they will fence it with mabati, it will be gone,” said Joseph Maina, a trader at the market.

Traders are questioning why City Hall has apparently ceded some of its powers and control of Gikomba market to a Tanzanian national, whom they claim calls the shots and allegedly even gives orders to the provincial administration.

The man known only by his nickname ‘Don Formation’ determines who stays in the market and who goes. He controls the security of the market through his adherents, who are also Tanzanians

“He operates with absolute impunity. He even orders the chief and his assistants and police to arrest those who question his operations,” said a trader who sought anonymity.

His team of night watchmen allegedly consists entirely of Tanzanians, who traders only know by nicknames. When there is theft or a fire, they are however not answerable, claimed the traders.

‘Don Formation’, it is said, has been in charge for the last 20 years and sometimes works in collaboration with security forces and the provincial administration to harass ‘defiant’ traders.

“For the 16 years I have been a trader in Gikomba, I have known him as a ruthless man who enjoys the backing of powerful people. Before 2002, he issued receipts and memos bearing the chief’s official stamp,” claimed another trader. Traders are charged about Sh30 monthly for security and with the market having over 10,000, traders the man could be making over Sh300,000 per month. Kamukunji Senior Assistant County Commissioner, David Mbevi, however defended his juniors, saying the matter of security in the market is not their mandate.

“I am not aware of those claims, but the security there is an arrangement between traders and county officials. We are not involved,” said Mbevi. Area OCPD Charles Kerich however claims that security should be handled by the county askaris.

In 2005, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) trained some traders on fire safety and equipped them with firefighting equipment which traders now say were sold secretly and that the container used to house them is now the property of the Tanzanian.

And now with the county government proposing to spend Sh900,000 on firefighting equipment, the traders claim history could be repeating itself.