Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has re-constituted the Nairobi City County Urban Planning Technical Committee responsible for approving buildings.
This comes a day after a seven-Storey building collapsed in Kasarani collapsed.
The new members include Margaret Njuki from NEMA, Racheal Kisiangani (Kenya Institute of Planners), Brenda Nyawara (Architectural Association of Kenya, AAK), Stanley Karaya Kimani (Nairobi Water).
Jane Mutulili (Engineers Board of Kenya), Christine Ogut (The Institution of Engineers of Kenya) and Abdulmalik Gichuki of the Kenya Alliance of Residents Association.
The technical committee is under the county’s Lands, Housing and Urban Planning sector and was responsible for consideration and approval of development application.
The Governor gave a stern warning to shoddy developers involved in such construction works, that their days are numbered.
“All those who are involved in such constructions I want to put them on notice. Pull down those buildings yourself or we are going to come for you,” he said.
Speaking in Kasarani on Wednesday, Sakaja said the developer of the collapsed building in Kasarani never got a permit from city hall for the construction.
“The developer did not get a permit from the county. There was an enforcement notice but because of impunity, he decided to go on. He needs to be charged with murder,” he said.
Police said rescue operations are still ongoing. One person who was retrieved from the rubble was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Rescue workers camped on the site on Tuesday night as they tried to locate more victims. Excavators are being used to assist in moving heavy concrete
Poor workmanship and ignorance of the laws are among the leading causes of such incidences. This is according to a 2020 audit report by NCA on collapsed buildings.
