This archive report was first published on 11 December 2019.
On Friday, 06 December 2019, a six-storey building in Tassia estate, Embakasi, Nairobi, collapsed, killing 10 people and injuring 36 others. Four days later, the owner of the building remains unidentified and unaccounted for.
Residents had been complaining about the building's poor state, citing cracks on the walls and poor drainage. John Onsongo, a resident, stated, "When you look at the pillars of the building you'll find out they used Y12 steel yet it should've been Y16."
Heavy rains on the day of the collapse are believed to have contributed to the tragedy, with some residents linking it to poor drainage. Ken Odero, a resident, said, "Things have been bad since the rains started and it has very poor drainage."
Despite the similarities between this incident and a previous one in September, where the owner of a collapsed classroom was arrested and charged within 72 hours, the authorities have yet to apprehend the Tassia building owner. Nashon Okowa, chairman of the Association of Construction Managers of Kenya, has called for an investigation by the National Building Inspectorate (NBI).
Related Topics: Tassia building tragedy, Tassia building collapse, Tassia estate
