The curse of the market fire has struck again, this time reducing the bustling Makongeni Market in Thika to a smoldering graveyard of dreams. Traders watched in helpless agony as an inferno, which started mysteriously in the early hours, consumed stock worth millions of shillings, leaving hundreds of families destitute.

The fire, described by witnesses as "ferocious," tore through the wooden stalls with terrifying speed. By the time the Kiambu County fire engines navigated the narrow, blocked access roads, there was little left to save. The air was thick with the smell of burnt plastic and the wails of women who had lost their entire livelihoods.

Arson or Accident?

"We know this game," shouted an angry trader, pointing at the ashes of his hardware stall. "Every time they want to grab land or increase levies, the market burns. This was not an electrical fault; electricity was disconnected last week! This is economic terrorism."

• The Pattern: Market fires in the Nairobi metropolis have become a suspicious annual ritual, often preceding redevelopment plans.
• The Response: Governor Kimani Wamatangi has promised a full investigation, but trust in official probes is at an all-time low.

The Human Cost

Beyond the politics, the human toll is devastating. Most traders operate on high-interest mobile loans. With their stock turned to ash, they are now trapped in a cycle of debt from which recovery seems impossible. The market was not just a place of business; it was the social heartbeat of Makongeni estate.

As the smoke clears, the traders are left sifting through the debris for scrap metal—the only currency left in a place that yesterday was teeming with life. Until the government addresses the root causes of these "mysterious" fires, the poor will continue to burn.