Fire leaves more than 100 Ruiru traders counting losses

More than 100 small-scale traders in Ruiru, Kiambu County, are counting heavy losses and appealing for help to rebuild their livelihoods after a night fire destroyed their businesses at the Thika Road-Eastern Bypass intersection.

The fire broke out shortly before midnight on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 razing scores of business sheds and destroying merchandise worth hundreds of thousands of shillings. Its cause remained unknown by Wednesday as affected traders sought assistance to restart their businesses.

For many of the traders, the fire wiped out their only source of income, leaving families without the means to pay school fees, buy food or meet other basic needs.

Wilson Macharia, one of the affected traders, said his premises was not only his business but also served as a storage facility for several other traders.

He said clothes, shoes, foodstuff and gas cylinders stored at the premises were all destroyed after the fire broke out at about 11.30pm.

“We don’t know the cause of the fire yet, but it broke out after 11.30pm on Tuesday night. My premises was also used as a store by several other traders who lost various items including clothes, shoes, foodstuff and gas cylinders,” Macharia said.

Another trader, Tabitha Nyaguthie, said she lost more than Sh200,000 after the fire swept through her small hotel, which she had operated for nearly three years.

Nyaguthie said the blaze appeared to have started from a nearby food stall before spreading rapidly to neighbouring businesses. Attempts to contain it were unsuccessful, she said, leaving traders helpless as their businesses and possessions went up in flames.

She said many of the affected traders were women who relied entirely on their businesses to support their families.

“I and fellow traders, most of whom are women, lost everything, including clothes for our children who used to change and leave their school uniforms here overnight. I depended on my business to feed and educate my children. We are appealing for help from the government and well-wishers,” Nyaguthie said.

The traders are now appealing to the national and county governments, local leaders and well-wishers for financial and material support to enable them to rebuild their businesses.

Local politician Sammy Onyango, who visited the scene, urged the Kiambu County Government and Ruiru MP Simon King’ara to consider using disaster and emergency funds to support the affected traders.

Onyango said the fire had affected more than 200 people when traders and their families were taken into account, warning that many households could face severe economic hardship if they do not receive assistance.

“The affected people are well over 200, including their families. They need our support to rebuild their businesses, and the county government together with the Ruiru MP’s office should chip in through the disaster and emergency funds,” Onyango said.

He also called for investigations into the cause of the fire, particularly because the businesses are located on a road reserve near the busy Thika Superhighway.

Onyango raised concerns that the incident should be investigated thoroughly amid claims that some wealthy individuals have been seeking control of the prime piece of land where the traders operate.

The traders were allowed to operate at the site following a public participation exercise involving representatives of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the local administration and area leaders.