By Betty Luke
Properties worth millions were reduced to ashes after fire broke out at Mathare market in Isiolo town leaving dozens of traders counting losses.
The Monday night fire that struck around midnight and whose cause is yet to be established, razed down business premises, several kiosks and structures used by Tumtum Juakali artisans at the area adjacent to Westgate market and behind the town’s incomplete modern market.
Isiolo county government is on the spot over poor response to the inferno that a military fire engine tried to put out to no avail but helped prevent its spread to neighbouring areas.
While the county remained mum over the delayed response, reports indicated that the fire engine had no water at the time the traders raised an alarm.
Some of the traders broke into tears as they helplessly watched their properties being consumed by the flames of fire while others gathered courage and embarked on salvaging blackened iron sheets.
Those whose houses were gutted down spent the night in the cold with their children with a few lucky to have been offered asylum by some Good Samaritans in the neighbourhood.
The traders said they had no alternative source of livelihood with majority of them confessing that they were surviving on debts to sustain the businesses.
“I was called by a friend informing me of the fire. By the time I arrived at the market, my shop had been reduced to ashes. I had just stocked and have no any remaining money,” one of the traders said amid tears.
She said some of the properties could have been salvaged had the intervention come in time and hailed the military for the assistance.
“We tried using water but in futility. If the county engine came early enough, some of the shops could have been spared and it would have augmented the military fire fighters”.
Asking the Municipality to put in place measures to quickly address fire cases, the traders appealed for humanitarian help from concerned authorities, well-wishers, local elected leaders and Non-Governmental organisations.
Elijah Gikuamba, another affected trader, called for thorough probe into the incident to bring the culprits to book claiming that it could be politically instigated.
He wondered why fire cases at the market only happened after elections saying the last night one was the third at the site.
“There is something than what meets the eye. It could be linked to politics. We have suffered twice before and the incidences happened after elections. Why the coincidence?” he posed.
His sentiments were echoed by another trader who is part of a group of 10 young mothers only identified as Masha.
“We had picked a loan to start the business but are back to square one. We appeal for help from the new elected leaders to reconstruct our shops,” she said.
She lamented that the tragedy had dealt them a huge blow saying they could not fend for themselves and their children.
“We are former street girls but now young mothers. Won’t this take us and our children back to the streets?” the 34-year-old posed.
The trader further asked the county government to streamline the emergency response unit to prevent similar occurrence and continued loss of properties that she said was impoverishing small business people.
Several leaders among them Isiolo North MP-elect Joseph Samal, area MCA David Nyoro and his Wabera colleague Salesio Kiambi visited the traders.
They asked the county government and the Kenya Red Cross to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected traders.
County Land Executive Yusuf Dahir and Municipality Manager Osman Halakhe and other county officials promised to address the issue.
“Incoming Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo has said he will prioritize addressing the plight of the traders immediately after he is sworn in on Thursday,” Mr Halakhe said while calling for calmness as the issue was being addressed.
