Governor Johnson Sakaja on Wednesday, November 16, announced changes in the technical committee of approval in Nairobi after a building collapsed in Kasarani.
Speaking during a visit to the site, Sakaja noted that impunity in the committee tasked with the approval of buildings was to blame for the recent crumbling of buildings in quick succession.
The Governor stated that the building had been flagged by officials from the National Construction Authority (NCA) who declared it unsafe.
However, Sakaja added that the developer colluded with county officials and subsequently proceeded with the construction oblivious to the lurking danger.
Sakaja noted that his government would conduct investigations to arrest culprits involved in the irregular approval of the building.
"You will see action, already we have changed the technical approval committee in Nairobi, and we will be issuing the names today. We will conduct investigations and if we find any official having been culpable at any point you will go home," Sakaja stated.
"Yesterday (Tuesday) NCA was here and they closed down that site. But the contractor knows that in such cases you just have to pay a few people here and there and you go on," he added.
Further, Sakaja who was in the company of Lands Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru and a host of area leaders directed the Ministry of Lands to trace the owner of the building who has since gone into hiding.
He insisted that the developer was liable for the loss of lives reported after the 7-storey building crumbled.
"Because of impunity, he decided to go on. He should be charged with murder because that is murder. How much money can replace the lives lost?" the Governor posed.
Meanwhile, rescue various agencies conducted rescue operations on the site, with reports indicating that more people could be trapped in the rubble.
Three deaths had been confirmed by the time of publishing this story on Wednesday, November 16.
The Kasarani incident came barely a week after two buildings collapsed in Embakasi Estate, Nairobi.
