The residential building that was under construction and collapsed in Itiero Kisii, leading to the death of five people, had no supervisors and was unregistered, the Institution of Engineers in Kenya (IEK) has revealed.
The collapse occurred while construction was ongoing, catching workers and nearby residents off guard.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but five people lost their lives, while several others sustained injuries.
In an official statement by IEK's President, Eng Shammah Kiteme, the institution conducted investigations and found that, apart from the lacking involvement of professional engineers during the construction phase, the building had also not been registered by the National Construction Authority (NCA).
''Preliminary investigations have revealed the project had not been registered with NCA, nor was there an NCA-registered contractor undertaking the works,'' part of the statement read.
Further, it was revealed that, despite a suspension order from the NCA due to non-compliance to stop the construction, the developer proceeded with construction.
The engineering experts raised questions about construction quality assurance and control and about the quality of construction materials used.
The experts have also highlighted the importance of engaging licensed professional engineers throughout the project lifecycle. Further scrutiny is being directed at the competence of the personnel involved in the construction project.
Following the findings, IEK has ordered thorough investigations and held those found culpable accountable for the tragic event.
"We urge authorities to hold developers accountable and enforce stricter building regulations. This will prevent unsafe construction practices that put lives at risk," Kiteme concluded in the statement.
The calls by the engineers come at a time when the country has been facing many cases of building collapses due to constructors not being compliant with the building regulations by NCA.
Just on Wednesday, an 11-storey building was demolished in Mombasa after it was found that it was sinking. The demolitions were overseen by Mombasa County in conjunction with KDF officers.
