Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has shed light on the dire conditions facing the city’s firefighters.

In a meeting with Nairobi City firefighters on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, the senator pointed out issues such as dysfunctional equipment, poor working conditions, and inadequate compensation as the main challenges plaguing the department.

“Meeting with a section of Nairobi City firefighters this morning. These guys receive lots of criticism on their response to fires in the city but it is important to also understand their challenges,” Sifuna stated in a statement on his X account on January 28, 2025.

During the meeting, the senator uncovered a significant water crisis impacting emergency response efforts.

He revealed that none of the boreholes at the city’s six fire stations are operational, compelling firefighting crews to undertake long trips across the city to refill their trucks.

For instance, firefighters responding to emergencies in Kibra must drive all the way to Gigiri to replenish their water supplies.

“Our six fire stations are in very bad shape with none of the boreholes functioning. A crew fighting a fire in Kibra would have to drive all the way to Gigiri to refill,” he stated.

Emphasizing the need for better support, Sifuna highlighted the low morale among firefighters due to poor working conditions, low pay, and lack of proper equipment.

“Morale is extremely low given poor working conditions, low pay, and lack of equipment,” Sifuna said.

Late response

On August 3, 2024, a fire incident razed down several structures and items worth millions at Toi Market in Nairobi County.

The blaze, suspected to have started from an electrical fault around 4 am, claimed the lives of four individuals who had rushed to save their belongings.

“They rushed to the market to save their goods but unfortunately the flames overpowered them. Traders who were nearby tried to rescue them but they could not complete the process and they perished in the incident,” Kenneth Jumba, the market chairman told the press at the time.

Traders at the market criticized the Nairobi Fire Department for its delayed response to the incident, attributing the tragedy to a lack of timely assistance.

Fixing the problem

Addressing these concerns, Senator Sifuna pledged to advocate for significant improvements within the fire department.

He emphasized the need for the county government to reevaluate the entire setup of the department to ensure effective operations.

“We are going to put the case to the county government to relook at the entire setup of the fire department because what is in place is not working and is totally unacceptable,” he said.