NAIROBI, Kenya — The government has announced progress in the construction of the seven-storey Gikomba Quarry Road Market Block D, describing the project as a major intervention aimed at addressing longstanding challenges facing traders at the country’s largest open-air market.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo said the facility is expected to improve safety, sanitation, and working conditions for thousands of small-scale traders operating in Gikomba Market.
Omollo said the market block was designed to accommodate more than 1,700 traders, with priority allocated to those previously operating in the area.
“The construction of the seven-storey Gikomba Quarry Road Market Block D marks a major step in addressing the longstanding challenges facing Gikomba traders,” he said.
For years, Gikomba traders have faced repeated fire outbreaks, congestion, poor infrastructure, and disruptions linked to demolitions and evictions.
The market has experienced several devastating fires that have destroyed property and disrupted businesses, raising concerns over safety standards and emergency preparedness.
According to PS Omollo, the new block builds on the earlier completion of Blocks A, B, and C and introduces additional modern facilities aimed at improving both business operations and public safety.
The new structure will include basement parking, a kitchen, a day-care centre, a youth centre, a cold room, a refuse collection section, and designated hardware trading spaces.
It will also feature a modern vertical stainless-steel waste disposal system intended to improve sanitation and reduce fire risks within the high-rise building.
The government said the project has already created hundreds of jobs during the construction phase. More employment opportunities are expected once the facility becomes operational through expanded trade activities, logistics, transport, and facility management services.
Omollo added that the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration would continue supporting the implementation and operationalisation of the project through a multi-agency approach.
He said authorities were focusing on maintaining law and order, enforcing safety standards, and strengthening security measures to protect traders, customers, and infrastructure from criminal activity and fire-related threats.
The Gikomba redevelopment project forms part of wider government efforts to modernise informal markets and improve urban trading infrastructure in Nairobi and other major towns.
The market remains a critical economic hub for thousands of low-income traders dealing in second-hand clothes, household goods, food products, and hardware supplies.
