The Office of the Nairobi County Disaster Management has reported 21 deaths from fires in the past two months in Kenya, with 15 of the victims being children.
Between August 3 and September 21, 130 fire incidents were recorded in the county, causing widespread damage to property and loss of lives.
County Chief Officer for Disaster Management, Bramwell Simiyu, confirmed these statistics, adding that many more people were injured during the outbreaks.
Despite Governor Johnson Sakaja’s efforts to improve fire response infrastructure, the fires continue to ravage informal settlements.
The county had allocated Sh120 million in the current financial year for building fire stations in Kangemi, Jamhuri, and Gikomba markets. However, these projects remain incomplete.
Informal settlements like Kibera, Mukuru, Mathare, and Kawangware have been the hardest hit, with children disproportionately affected. Preliminary investigations link the fires to illegal electricity connections, unattended cooking, and suspected arson.
The first major incident occurred on August 3 when a fire broke out at Toi Market in Kibra, claiming four lives, including two relatives, Billy Ochieng and Janet Kweyu.
Fires continued across Nairobi, with one on September 13 in Shauri Moyo killing four children and another in Lunga Lunga on September 15 claiming four more young lives.
Mr. Simiyu acknowledged delays in funding, particularly for the Gikomba market fire station project. He assured residents that procurement for the project had started and that emergency response teams were always ready to assist affected communities.
Efforts to enhance fire safety and awareness in informal settlements and schools are being intensified. However, Nairobi’s fire services still rely on outdated stations, some dating back to the early 1900s.