Fire Razes Nairobi's Gikomba Market, Destroying Millions in Goods

A massive fire broke out around 4 a.m. Sunday near the fish section of Gikomba Market, one of East Africa's largest open-air hubs for second-hand clothes and goods, spreading quickly through densely packed stalls and causing millions of shillings in losses.

Firefighters, police, and Kenya Red Cross contained the blaze by mid-morning with no casualties reported, though structural damage was extensive.

This follows a pattern of recurrent fires at Gikomba, including one in February 2026, amid frustrations over poor infrastructure and unproven suspicions of arson, even as a new Sh5 billion modern market is under construction nearby.