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Tenants evacuated from house on verge of collapse


Nairobi fire department evacuated tenants of a four-storey building in Nairobi’s Kasarani area on Sunday following safety concerns.

Tenants moved into the house despite its structural defects. PHOTO | COURTESY
Tenants moved into the house despite its structural defects. PHOTO | COURTESY

The building, which is on the verge of collapsing, is located at Clay City ward in Kasarani.

It has been declared unsafe for occupation by the county’s physical planning department.

A legal notice has since been erected outside the building and Kasarani OCS informed to ensure no tenants are allowed in.

A five-storey residential building collapsed last Wednesday near the Makongeni Police Station along Jogoo Road in Nairobi, killing six people and injuring many others.

UNAPPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS

The Nairobi county government has now come up with a new strategy that will rein in unapproved constructions targeting both the developers and contractors.

The strategy will entail both proper audit and enforcement approach bringing on board legislative power and different corporate technical competencies.

A committee to implement the strategy will become operationalized in the third week of January 2015, after its launch by Nairobi City County governor, Dr Evans Kidero on January 15 next year.

 

The committee will incorporate major utility organizations including Kenya Power, Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, the National Construction Authority (NCA) and the county security committee.

An unfinished section of the building. PHOTO | COURTESY
An unfinished section of the building. PHOTO | COURTESY

“The aim of the strategy committee will be to respond to poor standards of buildings and constructions, which is taking place at an alarming rate in Nairobi City outside the County governments approval processes,” said Nairobi deputy governor Jonathan Mueke.

TEST BUILDING MATERIALS

The County will also make it mandatory for testing of materials used on all building and construction sites by site engineers.

All testing will only be conducted by private labs that are approved by the county administration.

The county will require submission of test results and declarations on the intended use of the materials tested.