Kasarani Building Tragedy: Sakaja Punishes 3 County Officers
Sakaja additionally forwarded their names to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for investigations.
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Nairobi Governor, Johnson Sakaja, has suspended three county government officials he claimed were the reason a building in Kasarani collapsed on Tuesday, November 15.
Senior superintendent of building Michael Angoya, enforcement officer Catherine Wairimu and the chief superintendent of building in Nairobi Beatrice Kimathi were given 10 days to argue out their case or face disciplinary action.
Sakaja additionally forwarded their names to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for investigations.
He said that the three were responsible for the approval of the building and failing to adequately monitor its construction.
"Nairobi County has taken action against three officers who have been asked to show cause and interdicted due to negligence of their duties, including inadequate supervision, which led to the collapse of a building three days ago at Season Village, Kasarani Sub-County," a statement from the governor's office read in part.
He promised that the three will be charged if found to be culpable of negligence in their mandate.
The governor still held the developer responsible for the tragedy that claimed the lives of three construction workers.
"You will see action, already we have changed the technical approval committee in Nairobi, and we will be issuing the names today. We will conduct investigations and if we find any official having been culpable at any point you will go home," Sakaja stated on Wednesday, November 16.
Sakaja, who was in the company of Lands Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru and a host of area leaders, further promised to rein in the culprits involved in the irregular approval of the building.
Any county officer culpable of irregularly approving structures would be fired and subjected to stern action.
The Governor stated that the building was deemed unsafe by officials from the National Construction Authority (NCA), but the developer went on with the construction, colluding with county officials, and ignoring the danger that was to follow.
"Because of impunity, he decided to go on. He should be charged with murder because that is murder. How much money can replace the lives lost?" the Governor posed.
Meanwhile, he reconstituted the Urban Planning Technical Committee (UPTC) which was initiated in 2009 to succeed the Town Planning & Works Committee.
The governor tasked the multi-sectoral team to facilitate the evaluation and consideration of applications for development permission submitted to the planning authority. They will meet twice a month.
The members are Brenda Nyawara (Architectural Association of Kenya), Eng. Jane Mutulili (Engineers Board of Kenya), Eng. Christine Ogut (Institution of Engineers of Kenya) and Dr Abdulmalik Gichuki (Kenya Alliance of Resident Association).
Other members are Racheal Kisiangani (Kenya Institute of Planners), Stanley Karaya Kimani (Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company) and Margaret Njuki (National Environment Management Authority).
The county will be represented by the heads of departments and technical officers from the Urban
Planning, roads, public health, lands and survey.
An image of the building that collapsed in Tassia, Embakasi on Monday, November 7, 2022. /THE STAR
