Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja says the building lacked county approval and an occupation...
Nearly 10 days after an 18-storey building under construction collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi, rescuers have found a woman’s dismembered body in the debris, but 16 people are still missing. Phone-signal tracing has placed at least nine of them at the site.
DNA analysis will establish the woman’s identity and trace her relatives. It came down on October 23, trapping an unknown number of people under tonnes of concrete and rubble. Six have since been rescued.
The Kenya Red Cross and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are yet to trace the 16. The longer this takes, the greater the anxiety among relatives, colleagues and friends of the missing. This is taking long, but the building was huge and clearing the debris will take longer still.
As the rescue operation continues, investigators are examining possible breaches of construction regulations and lapses that may have contributed to the tragedy.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has asked the DCI to investigate possible negligence and misconduct by public officials and the project’s owners. The DPP has vowed to prosecute those suspected of criminal liability, irrespective of status. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja says the building lacked county approval and an occupation certificate, so the developer proceeded illegally. He has called for tougher penalties against rogue developers.
The contractor, however, says the approvals were sought and granted. Construction professionals allege City Hall’s online approval system is deliberately disrupted, while critics and reports point to widespread enforcement gaps fuelled by greed.
The authorities must get to the bottom of the apparent approvals racket in Nairobi City County and step up inspections and surveillance. The criminal laxity in enforcing safety regulations must end.
Public universities may extend current semesters by one to two weeks to recover lost time.
