Government officials yesterday blamed the Kisii government and police for the collapsed 10-storey building that has claimed nine lives.
They have revealed that 1,440 occupied buildings are at risk of collapsing in Nairobi.
Housing and Urban Development CS James Macharia (pictured) told MPs the Kisii administration and police failed to enforce two suspension orders from the National Construction Authority stopping the owner from exceeding the five-floor limit.
Macharia said NCA issued the first suspension order last year while the other in July this year but the “owner ignored with impunity”.
“These suspension orders were copied to the county government and police.
Unfortunately, nothing was done,” he said. Macharia appeared before the National Assembly Transport Committee chaired by Starehe MP Maina Kamanda accompanied by NCA chief executive Daniel Manduku.
He said the building collapsed due to a weak mix of concrete, quality and loading the building “twice what the frame could withhold”. The CS also said low capacity by county governments to approve and supervise all buildings under construction has contributed to rampant collapses.
MPs demanded to know the number of people recommended for prosecution as a result of collapsed building, including the Huruma case in April where 49 people died.
“People have died, but no one has been brought to book,” Luanda MP Christopher Omulele said.
