MCAs demand safety audit of city buildings

Some of the buildings in the city's central business district. MCAs want an audit done on all buildings in the county. [PHOTO: WILBERFORCE OKWIRI/STANDARD]

Nairobi; Kenya: Members of the county assembly are now pushing the government to carry out a safety compliance audit on all buildings in the city.

They want the Evans Kidero-led government to enforce strict safety standards and issue a certificate of compliance for buildings that meet the requirements.

The MCAs argued that the first by-laws to regulate buildings in the county were introduced by the British colonial government and then applied by the then Nairobi Town Council which was later replaced by Nairobi City Council and hence needed review.

"The by-laws that incorporated town planning and zoning, simultaneously acted as a guide to the building and construction sector and were a replica of the British building regulation," said Elizabeth Manyala, the MCA for Kayole South ward.

FIRE ESCAPE

Manyala further pointed out that the time frame of the construction was introduced by the colonialists and it was about time it changed.

"Current buildings in the city tend to collapse at different rates depending on the materials used, designs, methods of construction, environmental conditions and the use of the building," added Manyala who moved the Motion.

The MCA also said she had experienced cases where buildings collapsed in her ward and tenants fell victim and she had to be woken up in the middle of the night to help address the issue.

The assembly's Deputy Speaker Kennedy Ngondi supported the Motion arguing that it had been moved in good time considering the sub-standard buildings that were being constructed nowadays.

"Some of the buildings being put up nowadays neither have fire escapes nor lifts despite consisting of numerous floors," said Ngondi.