The 145 traders whose properties were destroyed by a mysterious fire at the Nanyuki New Market on Saturday night have received a compensation of Sh 1.5 million from the Laikipia County Government as a start-up capital.
Governor Joshua Irungu said the financial package will boost the affected traders, as the county government puts measures in place to strengthen safety measures to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
He spoke when he met the market traders in his Nanyuki office, as the locals condemned the county government for failure to put in place effective measures to combat disasters when they struck.
Irungu dispelled claims of the intention to evict the traders from the market to pave the way for the affordable housing programme, terming the matter as unfounded.
In the engagement, the market traders called for improved safety measures, immediate clean-up, and safe removal of asbestos, to pave the way for the reconstruction of the damaged sections of the market.
“The county government will waive monthly market cess fees to support recovery, and strengthen safety measures to help prevent similar incidents in the future,” said the Governor.
He revealed the formation of a task force that will oversee the reconstruction of the damaged sections of the market and the orderly relocation of the affected traders.
The county government, he observed, was committed to creating a conducive environment for businesses and ensuring the swift and safe recovery of the market to enable them to rebuild and grow economically.
“The engineers are still on site calculating the estimates that my administration will set aside for the reconstruction of the market,” he said.
County Secretary Koinange Wahome said the market was engulfed by raging flames that gutted nearly the entire Nanyuki New Market, with over 300 shops being destroyed.
“The assessment report will enable the government to rebuild the market while also supporting the traders who were affected,” he said.
“Our emergency team acted swiftly and diligently, supported by Nanyuki residents who came out in hundreds to fight the raging inferno,” said Koinange.
Over the weekend, leaders led by Senator John Kinyua and leaders John Gitogo and Peter Kuria castigated the county government over failure to put adequate measures in place to assist the locals during times of calamity.
After the outbreak of the fire, the locals accused the government of failure to mobilise its fire engine, leading to assistance from the fire brigade from Nyeri County Government, Batuk, and Laikipia Airbase.
