NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25 – Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho Thursday said the government will erect a perimeter wall around Gikomba market in Nairobi to avert arson attacks in the future.
Speaking after assessing damage caused by a fire incident, Kibicho said market infrastructure will also be modernized with the first phase set to be concluded within three months.
“We will do the infrastructure around here, we will erect a perimeter wall so that we isolate the market and we are promised by the community here that this is a building that is going to absorb an upward of 10,000 people here,” he said.
Besides a new building which is under construction within the expansive, he said other markets will also be constructed.
“We will continue to build new markets to ensure that people who are affected are absorbed. Unfortunately there are people who believe they will displace them,” he said warning, “there is no way this place will be converted into private spaces.”
While acknowledging the fire incidents are deliberate acts of arson, he warned those behind such attacks saying those found culpable will be charged in court.
“We just want to warn people that we believe are behind this is in futility. Gikomba is public land and it shall be used for public purposes even if we relocate traders who are here to the new markets that we are building,” he affirmed.
The PS urged members of community to volunteer information regarding the Thursday morning fire incident to the office of Nairobi Regional Commander.
“We urge you to be cooperative with security agencies and intelligence agencies by volunteering any information which can help trace the perpetrators,” he said.
Kibicho further assured business people affected by the incident of government’s support.
The PS was accompanied by Nairobi Regional Commissioner Wilson Njenga , Nairobi Metropolitan Director General Mohamed Badi and Kamukunji Member of Parliament Yusuf Hassan Abdi.