Gikomba Market, Nairobi’s largest open-air market, is undergoing a major transformation as the government moves to replace its congested and makeshift structures with a modern commercial complex.
State Department for Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the upgrade is aimed at addressing longstanding challenges at the market, including perennial fires, flooding and congestion.
Omollo said the project is progressing well following the initial clearance of informal timber structures along the Nairobi River corridor earlier this year.
“Three massive multi-storey market blocks have risen on site, with roofing and internal installations underway,” Omollo said.
The first phase of the project is expected to provide well-ventilated and numbered multi-level stalls capable of accommodating up to 7,000 traders.
A dedicated fish-processing zone will also be established for about 300 traders, alongside facilities designed to improve the working environment and services available at the market.
The planned facilities include a day-care centre, modern kitchens and sanitation facilities, an ICT hub, a youth community centre, basement parking, waste collection points and an integrated fire station.
The government expects the new infrastructure to improve safety and organisation at the market while providing traders with more secure and structured spaces to conduct their businesses.
Gikomba riverfront to be rehabilitated
The transformation also extends beyond the market structures, with the government incorporating the Gikomba riverfront into the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme.
Omollo said retaining walls were being constructed to strengthen the riverbanks and address the risks associated with flooding.
Plans also provide for recreational spaces and sports fields alongside the rehabilitated waterway, creating what the government describes as a safer and more functional public environment.
The rehabilitation of the river corridor is expected to complement the redevelopment of the market by improving drainage and reducing some of the environmental challenges that have affected traders and residents in the area.
Security and administration
The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration will also play a role in ensuring the upgraded market remains secure and orderly once the project is completed.
Omollo said the department would strengthen the administrative and inter-agency framework needed to support the physical transformation.
The government aims to ensure that the investment delivers lasting benefits to traders and members of the public by maintaining security and proper management of the facility.
For decades, Gikomba has served as an important commercial centre for Nairobi, attracting traders and customers from across the city and beyond.
The ongoing redevelopment is therefore expected to reshape one of the capital’s busiest trading hubs while improving working conditions for thousands of traders and addressing some of the safety and environmental risks associated with the old market.
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