DCI detectives have commenced investigations to establish the cause of fire that razed down the entire Toi Market in Kibra on Saturday, June 10.
Detectives arrived at the now flattened famous market Monday morning and collected ash samples for analysis.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja visited the market on Sunday and promised to help the over 3,000 traders to rebuild their structures.
He also said they will create access roads through the market as rebuilding continues.
"Traders at Toi Market have lost so much after Saturday’s inferno. We have assessed the damage and we will help you rebuild. In the meantime, we have organised food and material support," Sakaja said in a tweet on Sunday.
Detectives started the probe amid suspicions of foul play. Traders who spoke to the Star said they suspected an arson attack as the cause of the fire.
Saturday's incident was not the first time the market was reduced to ashes as another inferno in 2019 left traders counting losses.
Trader Patrick Ochieng’ said someone must have started the fire which then spread so fast they had no time to salvage their property.
"I arrived at the scene at around 1am when the fire was just starting. I did not manage to salvage anything because the fire was moving fast. I suspect that the fire was started by an arsonist because it was spreading very fast moving from one stall to another," Ochieng said.
His allegations were supported by another trader, Anthony Malalu, who sells bananas at the market.
Malalu asked the DCI to look into the possible cause of the fire because this is the fourth time the market was reduced to ashes.
"When this fire usually starts, it doesn’t affect one area, it moves very fast to the whole market meaning someone is responsible,’’ Malalu said.
Kenneth Jumba, the market’s chairman, claimed a land row might have prompted someone to start the fire and called on the government to gazette it as their own because they have been there for over 30 years.
"We suspect that someone started the fire and this time we expect investigations to put this matter to rest. This market is under the county government of Nairobi but we have some people who have been claiming ownership and we now have an active case in court," Jumba said.
