Blaze prompts fire engine tender advert

What you need to know:

  • Governor John Nyagarama said officials had placed an order to procure a fire engine last year but the firm that won the tender indicated that the type of machine the county wanted was out of stock.
  • Assembly Majority Leader Laban Masira said lethargic executives were sabotaging the devolved government.

The county government will re-advertise a tender to purchase a fire engine.

Governor John Nyagarama said officials had placed an order to procure a fire engine last year but the firm that won the tender indicated that the type of machine the county wanted was out of stock.

He made the remarks in the wake of an inferno at Kebirigo Market on Sunday.

The fire began around 8pm in one stall. Efforts by traders and residents to put it out were futile.

The county government dispatched ambulances to the scene at 10pm, but the vehicles were attacked by residents, who expected fire engines.

Ms Gladys Mochama, a mother of seven, said she lost property valued at more than Sh700,000 to the fire and looters.

Another trader, Yucabeth Ratemo, said the county government was yet to contact them to ascertain the extent of the damage.

Mr Samwel Obanyi, a resident, said traders were not part of the looters.

“The people who attacked the ambulance driver and Nyamira deputy OCS were criminals,” he said.

Governor Nyagarama consoled the traders and condemned the attack.

“I’d like to send my sympathies to the businesspeople,” he said.

“I condemn the looting of what was salvaged from the fire. The same people confronted our dedicated security officers with stones and injured the deputy OCS.”

Meanwhile, ward representatives have asked the governor to punish lazy members of his cabinet.

Assembly Majority Leader Laban Masira said lethargic executives were sabotaging the devolved government.

He said such people must be dismissed if the governor wanted to retain his seat.

“Voters do not know that your minister are not performing. The blame is directed to you,” he said during the opening of the fourth session of the assembly.

He was backed by Bomwagamo MCA Julius Nyangana.

In his response, Mr Nyagarama promised to crack the whip on the said officials in his administration.