Owner of collapsed Murang’a house faces suit for deaths, injuries
The Central Region Security Committee has ordered the arrest of those responsible for the collapse of a four-storey building that was being built in Murang’a. Three people died in the tragedy.
“We have directed our security officers in Murang’a to go after the owner of the building, his contractor, site engineer, the area building code enforcers, who include county government officials, as well as the relevant National Construction Authority (NCA),” regional commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga said on Saturday.
The building, belonging to Sunstar Hotel in Gatanga sub-county, crumbled at 2pm Friday and rescue operations started three hours later. Mr Nyagwanga said the tragedy affected 101 people — 58 constructors and 43 who were working in the hotel.
“The official version now is that the roll call deduced that eight workers were inside the rubble—four plumbers, three masons and one hand.
“We have retrieved three bodies from the debris,” he said.
Poor building standards
The owner, Mr Abraham Karuti Itabari, told Nation.Africa that he had delegated his lawyer to comment.
“I’m not aware of all those things you are asking. There is a lawyer assigned,” he said.
Murang’a Developers and Property Dealers Association chairman Edwin Ngigi said the owner should not be taken to task. He said that the owner is in grief and the government cannot cover its failures by arresting him.
“An investor cannot commence a multimillion-shilling building with an intention to have it collapse later...In fact, the government should compensate him. It is the duty-bearer in protecting him from effects of poor building standards, corrupt officers and incompetent building code enforcers,” Mr Ngigi said.
Qualified engineer
But Mr Nyagwanga said there were claims the developer had suspended a qualified engineer and a professional contractor for telling him to go for quality building materials, which were costly.
“We are investigating that too. A developer should only undertake construction projects whose quality can be guaranteed...you cannot beat all corners to save on expenses and come around telling us you are a victim of tragedy,” he said.
Samuru Assistant County Commissioner Teresiah Isaac said they were doing all in their power to address the issue. She said the government was reaching out to the bereaved families to console them.
“We are making sure the families get the prerequisite counselling services to give them the fortitude to bear,” she said. BY DAILY NATION
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