Traders Count Losses as Fires Devastate Garissa and Kisii Markets

GARISSA/KISII – Two major markets in Kenya went up in flames within 24 hours, leaving hundreds of traders devastated and property worth millions destroyed.

In Garissa County, a massive fire broke out on Monday at Suq Mugdi Market, the region’s main commercial hub. The blaze, whose cause remains unknown, razed a significant portion of the busy marketplace. Eyewitnesses reported thick smoke and flames engulfing the market as locals tried in vain to contain the inferno using buckets and water bowsers.

Critics pointed fingers at the Garissa County Government for a delayed emergency response. A fire truck reportedly arrived after the market, largely built with flammable aluminium sheets, had already been extensively destroyed. No official statement had been released by county authorities by press time, but traders are demanding an investigation.

The Suq Mugdi fire comes two years after the county government controversially demolished stalls to create market access paths, prompting backlash from traders who claimed no alternative space was provided.

Meanwhile, in Kisii County, Marikiti Market in the CBD was gutted by a separate fire early Sunday morning. The blaze, which broke out shortly after 2am, swiftly reduced stalls and shops to ashes. Locals struggled to contain the fire, but the market’s aluminium construction helped fuel the flames.

Nearby businesses, including car parks, scrambled to save property, with some forcibly moving vehicles to escape the spreading fire. The value of the property destroyed remains unconfirmed, and no injuries were reported in either incident.

Both tragedies have reignited public concern over fire safety standards and emergency preparedness in Kenya’s urban markets. Investigations into the causes of the fires are yet to begin.