Raila: Land grabbers responsible for Toi market fire tragedy

A section of Toi Market on fire.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has now claimed that the fire incident at Toi market in Kibera was caused by land grabbers.

Addressing the crowd when he visited the area on Tuesday, the former Prime Minister reiterated that the perennial fire tragedies witnessed in the area were orchestrated by fraudsters seeking to displace traders and later occupy the trading field.

"Hii si mara ya kwanza Soko ya Toi kuungua…hii imechomwa makusudi... kuna wale wanyakuzi wakiona kiwanja mahali wanamezea mate... niko na uhakika ni hao wamefanya hii maneno alafu kesho waje na askari hapa waanze kujenga,...hatuezi kubali watu wetu watolewe kama mbwa mahali ambapo wanafanya Kazi..." (This is not the first time the Toi market is on fire, this is a deliberate action, there are land grabbers who upon seeing an open field start salivating, I am certain  it is them who are behind this so that tomorrow they start constructing structures here under tight security, we shall not accept our people to be chased like dogs from where they earn a living), he said.

Raila further urged the Nairobi County government to start reconstructing the market immediately and upon its completion, they should provide security to the resident to curb such tragedies from occurring in the near future.
He made calls to have the market placed under the management of the county government, saying it was a better way of ensuring the market was safe from land grabbers.

Traders counting losses at Toi Market. The Standard.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, who later came after Raila had left, promised to start the reconstruction of the market in the course of the day. He further called on President Uhuru, Deputy President William Ruto and Raila Odinga to join hands with his county government in fighting corruption cartel in the city.

Toi market was reportedly on fire at 3 am on Tuesday and went on to around 7 am on the same day. Traders have reportedly lost the unknown value of properties with their stalls destroyed. police suspected arson to be the cause of the fire though investigations are underway to establish more facts on the matter.