After years of heartbreak, traders at Nairobi’s Gikomba Market may finally have a reason to breathe easy.
The county government has completed a brand-new seven-storey modern market that promises to end the cycle of fires that have repeatedly destroyed livelihoods and dreams.
The new complex, situated along Quarry Road, will accommodate more than 1,700 traders in organised and secure spaces-a far cry from the current congested and unsafe stalls that have long made Gikomba a fire hot spot.
The project is more than just new walls and floors, said Governor Johnson Sakaja, who toured the site on Tuesday.
“For years, Gikomba has been a place of pain for many families who have lost everything to fires. We made a promise to end that cycle of loss. What we are building here is not just a market; it’s hope, order, and dignity for our traders,” Sakaja said.
This market has basement parking, cold rooms, a daycare centre, a youth resource centre, a hardware section, and space for other goods. These are supposed to make the place cleaner, safer, and more comfortable for traders and shoppers alike.
For the county government, the new Gikomba is part of a wider plan to modernize markets and make them safer for small-scale traders. Excitement is building up for the market shift, but questions still linger on how the relocation will be managed-a process that has, in the past, sparked friction between City Hall and traders.
Gikomba is one of Nairobi’s oldest and busiest markets, famous for relatively cheap second-hand clothes and household goods. Still, it has been associated with loss through endless fire outbreaks that have reduced the entire sections to ashes and left traders starting from scratch.
Similar upgrades elsewhere in the city are under way, with Mutuini Market in Dagoretti South expected to host about 500 traders and include cold rooms, butcheries, improved drainage and proper lighting.
Sakaja said the Gikomba project, done in partnership with the national government, is part of a broader plan aimed at making city markets safer and more dignified places to work.
“This is about giving our small traders a fair chance to do business without fear of losing everything overnight,” he added. The new Gikomba Market now stands for renewal, and for many traders, it is a promise long overdue, finally taking shape.
