This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
Nairobi School's Structural Failure Claims Seven Lives ¶
On September 23, 2019, a devastating tragedy struck Precious Talent Top School in Nairobi, claiming the lives of seven learners. The incident highlighted the school's long-standing structural issues, which had been ignored by the authorities.
The school, located in the Dagoretti South Constituency, had a population of over 800 pupils, but lacked proper structures to accommodate them. The buildings were weak, with many classrooms made of tin walls, partitioned with plywood and cardboards. The floors were made of wood, held together by wire mesh, and many claimed the structure was a product of poor engineering and workmanship.
Parents and school neighbors had raised concerns over the safety and stability of the building, but their warnings fell on deaf ears. The school owner, Moses Wainaina, blamed the Nairobi City County for the collapse, claiming that the county's recent digging of a sewer line behind the classrooms weakened the building's foundation.
However, the National Buildings Inspectorate (NBI) secretary, Moses Nyakiongora, termed the school building 'a structural failure and a work of quackery', adding that the school owner exposed learners to death. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of schools in Nairobi and the need for authorities to take action to prevent such tragedies in the future.
