•Three men were seen sprinkling petrol on market's main paths
•Governor Sonko gives traders Sh5 million to start reconstruction
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGA
Land grabbers used petrol to destroy Toi, Nairobi’s second largest open-air market, according to ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Raila said it was not the first attempt to burn the market to evict the traders.
"It is not a coincidence. I know land grabbers are behind this with the intention of coming with police to evict traders. I want to assure you that we will not allow this to happen," he told the traders and residents.
No one was injured during the destruction but hundreds of people were left destitute after their homes were torched.
Those who spoke in confidence said the three people sprinkled petrol along the market's main paths. The three bought the silence of watchmen.
A primary school, three churches and a garage were burnt down. So were 20 M-Pesa shops and electronic shops. Six vehicles in a garage were reduced to shells.
More than 20 M-Pesa shops were also destroyed together with electronics including mobile phones and laptops. Foodstuffs and clothes were also reduced to heaps of debris.
The traders said there was a meticulous plan to ensure that the market was completely destroyed.
Senior chief Hillary Chumo said the cause of the fire was being investigated. He promised government support to those affected.
A loader told the Star, “I saw people walking around with bottles with a substance but did not suspect they were on such as mission and didn’t pay much attention to them.”
The fire broke out at 4am and reduced property worth hundreds of millions of shillings to ashes.
"I have lived here for more than 30 years and I have never seen anything like this. This market has been burning in small sections. We should be told what happened,” MCA Solomon Ondanga said.
Nairobi governor Mike Sonko also said land cartels in collusion with lands officers at City Hall could be behind the destruction to grab the land.
Sonko swore that none of those behind the arson would get title for the land.
The governor said reconstruction will begin immediately and gave Sh5 million to the traders to start the work.
“I’m leaving with the market committee members so that we go to the bank and withdraw money for the building materials. I want to assure you that the rebuilding starts immediately so that people can go back to their businesses,” the governor said.