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{
    "id": 1181148,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1181148/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 188,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Tobiko",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Speaker Sir, as the Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Roads, Transport and Housing, I represent the Chairperson. I am here to give this Statement pursuant to Standing Order No. (56) (1). The Statement is on the collapse of buildings in the country, specifically in Kiambu County. Standing Order No. (56) (1) (a) provides that a Chairperson of a Committee may make a Statement relating to a matter for which a Committee is responsible. I, therefore, stand to make a Statement on the collapse of buildings as witnessed in the last few weeks in Kiambu County and Nairobi City County. Since August, 2022, there have been recorded cases of collapsed buildings in Kirigiti, Ruaka and Ruiru in Kiambu County and also in Kasarani in Nairobi City County. The erection of poor-quality structures in Kenya has been a menace since the mid-1990s leading to the collapse of buildings and causing a lot of anguish to Kenyans. This is why both the national Government and county governments should come up with measures to curb this. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the frequent cases of collapse of buildings in Kenya have become a major concern among all the stakeholders in the local building and construction industry. According to an audit report on the collapse of buildings in the country by the National Construction Authority (NCA), poor workmanship is cited as the leading cause. NCA made the findings following an assessment involving 14,895 buildings. The assessment found that 10,791 of the buildings were very unsafe and either needed to be demolished or reinforced before occupation. The findings mean that a significant number of Kenyans are living in structural time bombs. Another 1217 buildings were found to be safe to some extent and only 2194 were certified as safe. NCA also found that thousands of buildings in Nairobi exist without requisite approvals. According to the report, the country has recorded the collapse of 87 buildings over the past five years while an estimated 200 people have lost their lives in the last five years and over 1000 injured as a result. The audit report further state that no action was taken in the case of 10 of the buildings that collapsed and that only one case made it to the court following public outcry. The report stated that more than 700 buildings mostly in informal settlements are at high risk of collapsing and requiring demolition. Other causes of the collapse of buildings according to the report include the use of substandard materials, noncompliance with building standards and regulations, inadequate structural design, and overloading and inadequate maintenance of structures. Mr. Speaker Sir, while deliberating on this matter, the Committee made the following general observations - (a)That there is no central depository for data on the failure and collapse of buildings in Kenya making it difficult for monitoring and evaluation; and,"
}