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Chaos as City Park Market traders protest over night inferno


Traders at Nairobi’s City Park Market took to the streets on Friday morning to protest after a night fire burnt their shops.

The irate traders blocked the busy Limuru Road, demanding that the government compensate them for their loss.

They claimed foul play in the fire that started at around 11pm on Thursday and continued burning until around 2am.

The agitated traders blamed the Nairobi County government for failing to put out the fire quickly though the market is close to the city centre.

“KIDERO MUST GO”

They claimed that fire engines from the City County fire brigade arrived at the market late and did not have enough water to extinguish the fire.

Police were called in to restore order along the busy road.

Several leaders arrived and attempted to calm the angry traders, who demanded to be addressed by Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero.

However, when the governor arrived, the protesters refused to listen to him and threw dust at him amid shouts of “Kidero must go”.

The governor’s bodyguards shot in the air while police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Governor Kidero left the scene barely 10 minutes after his arrival.