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EDITORIAL: Enforce building standards to avoid deaths

People must be held accountable, if we are to deal with the rising incidents of buildings collapsing.

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by The Star

Big-read17 November 2022 - 11:49
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In Summary


• Claims are rife of how inspectors are bribed to turn a blind eye to shortcuts in some building sites .

• When a building collapses, it is not only the owner who should be charged, but also the county or state officials tasked with the supervision. 

A police dog searches for clues on presence of victims of seven-storey building collapse at Kasarani, Nairobi on November 16, 2022.

Two high-rise buildings have collapsed in Nairobi and its environs within a week, raising concerns of safety and building standards.

The first building collapsed in Kasarani on Tuesday and before the dust could settle, a second came tumbling down in Ruaka on Thursday.

One person died in the Kasarani incident, while two people had been confirmed dead by Thursday morning in Ruaka.

This is not the first time a building is collapsing in Nairobi.  It has become a common occurrence in the capital and other towns.

The rainy season portends doom as the death contraptions soak in water and give in due to poor workmanship.

In the Kasarani incident, it is reported the supervisor ignored calls to stop construction after huge cracks emerged.

Why are such faults only noticed once a building collapses?

Are these buildings inspected at every stage of construction and certified as fit to proceed to the next level? 

Claims are rife of how inspectors are bribed to turn a blind eye to shortcuts in some building sites .

When a building collapses, it is not only the owner who should be charged, but also the county or state officials tasked with the supervision. 

People must be held accountable, if we are to deal with the rising incidents of buildings collapsing. 

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