This archive report was first published on 10 December 2019.
Published on December 10, 2019, the collapse of a building in Nairobi's Tassia Estate, which claimed at least 10 lives, has sparked little public outrage. The lethargic response from authorities, including Nairobi City County and the national government, is a stark indication of a society in paralysis.
Collapsing buildings have become a perennial feature in Kenya, with the authorities seemingly unconcerned about the quality of structures being erected within their territories. Citizens, too, appear helpless to save themselves and have surrendered to fate.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's order for a quality audit of all buildings in Nairobi and its environs, following a spate of collapses, was a promising move. However, the initiative quickly dissipated, and today, nobody believes the national or county governments when they talk of auditing buildings or stopping construction.
Developers of illegal structures thrive, violating all rules in the book. A catalogue of collapsed buildings in the past five years is shocking, with the Precious Talent School tragedy in September 2019 being a stark example. Seven children lost their lives in the incident, but the authorities' response was short-lived, and life continued as usual.
Nairobi is a living death trap, with buildings of all shapes and forms sprouting up as developers easily secure approvals for illegal structures, take shortcuts, and expose residents to veritable disasters. The lack of planning and oversight has led to buildings encroaching on road reserves and utility way leaves, making it extremely difficult to save lives when buildings fall.
It is time for citizens to make demands about proper housing structures and infrastructure. Officials approving and monitoring construction work should be sanctioned when they approve shady buildings that eventually fall, kill, and maim. Action is needed against the owners of the Tassia building, as well as those who approved and supervised its construction.
