By Mohamed Dahir
Friday July 11, 2025
The business community in Garissa Town is appealing to the County government to hasten the rebuilding of the famous Suq-Mugdi market that was recently gutted down by an inferno that destroyed merchandise worth millions of shillings.
The traders said that the market was central to the lives of many people, including the elderly and mothers with children, as it caters for their daily supplies, some from the neighbouring counties and others from as far as Nairobi.
Speaking to KNA, Garissa Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane however called for patience and encouraged traders to occupy Nadhif Market adjacent to the Garissa Municipality in the meantime until a new market is constructed as pledged by President William Ruto during his recent working tour of the region.
Garissa town residents are also demanding adequate firefighting equipment with well-trained Fire Department personnel to address frequent fire incidents that leave a trail of destruction, injuries and sometimes fatalities and huge losses.
According to mama Sahara Ahmed and Dowlay Dualle, the absence of proper business premises with adequate infrastructure leaves the traders frustrated and unable to plan their ventures.
Ahmed said the market has been destroyed by fire many times because of makeshift structures that included carton box sheds with just tree branches as pillars, materials that easily catch fire with little ignition.
“We need a modern market with necessary services, including a place for the fire department and access routes. It is unfortunate that many traders, who are mostly women, some of them widowed, lose their properties through preventable night fires,” Duale lamented.
Mama Ahmed, who lost property worth thousands of shillings, called on local leaders to ensure the livelihoods of the traders are restored for them to fend for themselves and their families.
The traders expressed their gratitude for the many well-wishers who rushed to their rescue by providing them with tents, food and some money to jump-start their business.
