For decades, Gikomba Market has been synonymous with devastating fires. From the 2014 inferno that claimed 15 lives to the 2021 blaze that destroyed over 900 stalls, countless traders have watched their livelihoods go up in smoke time and again.
The seven-storey Gikomba Quarry Road Market Block D, now in its finishing phase, will host more than 1,700 traders in secure, organised spaces. The market features a basement parking area, day-care centre, youth centre, cold room, and hardware section, offering both functionality and dignity to Nairobi’s hardworking traders.
“For years, Gikomba has been a place of pain for many families who’ve lost everything to fires. We made a commitment to end that cycle of loss. What we’re building here is not just a market it’s hope, order, and dignity for our traders,” Sakaja said.
The Governor added that the Gikomba project is part of a countywide initiative to modernize markets across Nairobi, ensuring that small scale traders operate in safe, clean, and well-managed environments.
“Our traders deserve decent spaces to do business. When we empower them, we empower the heart of Nairobi’s economy,” Sakaja emphasized.
Beyond safety, the project has already created hundreds of local jobs during construction and is expected to boost economic activity once operational.
Among the ongoing projects is the Mutuini Market in Dagoretti South Sub-County, which is nearing completion. Once opened, it will accommodate over 500 traders in a well-organized setting with modern facilities such as cold rooms, butcheries, proper drainage systems, and improved lighting to enhance safety and hygiene.
“We’re moving from chaos to structure from makeshift stalls to modern spaces. Every trader in Nairobi deserves to work with dignity, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering,” Sakaja reiterated .
As Gikomba’s new market nears completion, optimism fills the air among traders who have long suffered repeated losses from perennial infernos.
In collaboration with the national government the modern Gikomba market is expected restore order and dignity to Nairobi traders.
The Gikomba project is just one among several modern markets being constructed across Nairobi including Karen, Kahawa West, and other sub-counties all aimed at transforming local economies and restoring dignity to the city’s informal traders.
