Westlands Member of Parliament Tim Wanyonyi has warned Nairobi contractors that the county leadership is working on tighter rules on the approval process of construction projects after the death of two construction workers.
On Monday, May 12, the wall of a house under construction collapsed in Nairobi’s Parklands area, leading to the death of two workers.
The wall had been constructed to form part of the basement of the structure along Suswa Road when the incident happened.
''My sincere condolences to the families that lost their loved ones following the tragic collapse of a wall at a construction site on Parklands-Suswa Road,'' the MP condoled with the affected families.
While police attributed the collapse to the rains that were experienced in the area on Saturday, MP Wanyonyi dismissed this explanation, insisting that the real cause was poor construction standards and failure to adhere to safety regulations.
''We have been following up with line departments as it’s becoming a recurrent issue, and we will not tire until our county leadership and national government tighten approval processes and supervision of construction projects to protect innocent lives,'' the MP warned.
The MP emphasised that the construction industry must be held to higher standards, warning developers against cutting corners in pursuit of profit.
According to Patrick Analo, Nairobi County’s Chief Officer for Urban Planning and Development, the site had already been condemned before the incident occurred, revealing that the developers had already been summoned for interrogation.
He also revealed that several workers had earlier been arrested at the same location for excavating without approved architectural building plans.
The MP's remarks join concerns raised by other county leaders who have called for accountability in the construction sector, as Nairobi continues to witness an alarming number of building collapses, many linked to substandard workmanship and weak enforcement of safety regulations.
Meanwhile, in March, the government initiated a major overhaul of the country’s construction laws, aiming to impose stricter penalties and enhance safety standards in the sector.
Over the past two years, the country has witnessed a spate of building collapses claiming lives and leading to the loss of properties.
