Tragedy in Kenya – Three People Die as Building Collapse

Rescue Efforts as Building Collapsed

Army in rescue efforts

Rescue Efforts as Building Collapsed

At least seven people were feared trapped in a collapsed building in Kiambu Township, in the outskirts of Kenya capital Nairobi raising questions on architectural and planning standards in Kenya. Three have been confirmed dead and four seriously injured after a six-storey building under construction caved in, rambling on adjacent shanties. According to eyewitnesses, the building collapsed at 2 am on Sunday after a heavy downpour that is being experienced in most parts of the country.

A concerted effort from the Kenya Army, Nairobi Fire Brigade, Red Cross volunteers and the General Service Unit combed the rumbles in a rescue bid. By mid-day, two bodies had been retrieved as the Kenyan Army coordinated the operations. The collapse is reminiscent of another building that collapsed in October last year in the same locality raising building standards questions. According to area town clerk Mr Michael Kimwele, the owner of the building was issued with a court order to stop constructing the building but went ahead irrespective. Kiambu divisional Police chief Samwel Mukindia told Newstime Africa that another building has been ordered to be evacuated with immediate effect after it showed signs of collapsing. Allegedly, property developers in Kenya collude with planning officials at the local authorities to get approval of building plans that are never implemented.

Army in rescue efforts

The Town Clerk confided to Newstime Africa that the initial approval was for a two-storey building but was latter shocked to see a sky-scrapper coming up. Impunity in Kenya has been a trend that has seen the mushrooming of buildings that flout the building code that later collapse killing people. Sources say last week the owner of the building, Mrs Felista Nyokabi, was charged in a local court for constructing an un-safe building, fined Ksh50, 000 and ordered to demolish the building within a month’s time. In 2005, a building in downtown Nairobi under construction collapsed killing hundreds of casual labourers but is currently being reconstructed under un-known circumstances. Kenyan laws require that any person or company wishing to put up a building must have the structure designed by a qualified architect and engineer.

The Architectural Association of Kenya and the Institute of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) have ear-marked buildings in Nairobi that do not meet standards but little has been done and poses as a disaster-in-waiting. Kiambu District Public Health Officer Mr Romano Kinyua told journalists that the building had been constructed with poor and substandard materials. Construction of sub-standard buildings is attributed to the developers move to cut costs by not following the architectural plans. A man-hunt and investigations are on course to arrest the owner and contractor who have since gone underground, for further questioning. Nairobi City Council has less than 20 qualified planners and building inspectors. The Kenyan government has been accused of lack of to-standard disaster preparedness.

Update:  3 people dead contrary to earlier reports of 7 dead.
Apologies as we continue to monitor the situation in Kenya.

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