This archive report was first published on 21 June 2021.
On June 21, 2021, a devastating incident occurred in Kangemi, Nairobi, when a flyover under construction collapsed, trapping several construction workers in the rubble.
A video from the scene showed rescue teams attempting to rescue the workers, with four people already rescued and multiple others unaccounted for.
According to reports, the collapsed section was part of the Ksh16 billion Waiyaki Way expansion project awarded to China Wu Yi firm, which involves the expansion of the 25km James Gichuru-Rironi Road stretch into a superhighway.
The project, which began in 2017, was initially slated to be completed in December 2020 but faced significant delays, with Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia issuing an ultimatum to engineers in April 2021 to complete the road by the end of July 2021.
Engineer Sanjay Kumar defended the delay, citing unavoidable circumstances, but assured that the 3-kilometer stretch would be finished in due time, with construction works 85 percent complete.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by the Waiyaki Way expansion project, which is running concurrently with the erection of the Nairobi Expressway.
