Gikomba market

Gikomba market is an open-air market in Nairobi, Kenya. The market includes sellers of a wide range of goods, including food and clothing.^[1][2] It is particularly noted for having a large number of secondhand clothing (mitumba) sellers,^[3][4] reported to be the most in the country.^[5]

History

Gikomba was founded as early as the 1950s. The market was demolished for a first time in the 1970s.^[2] On 16 October 1990 the market was bulldozed by the Kenyan government, because of the prevalence of illegal selling.^[6]

The market has seen several fires,^[2] notably the "Great Gikomba Fire" on 6 September 2000, which burned for eight hours in the used clothing section of the market.^[6] In May 2014, two bombs were set off in the market.^[7]

In 2014, the Nairobi government reported that around 65,000 people worked in some capacity in the market, and there were an estimated 10,000 different shops.^[3] By 2024, the government reported that 100,000 people worked in the market.^[2]