Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir has suspended the construction of 162 buildings in the county over safety concerns.
In a statement on Friday, November 18, Nassir said the move follows recommendations by a taskforce established in September to check on the compliance of buildings under construction in Mombasa county.
The team, the governor disclosed, flagged a number of incidents that depict the rot in the construction sector where contractors disregard safety standards posing risks to innocent members of the public.
Some of the contractors have no permits and others have violated terms of approvals.
The governor said three of the storey buildings are on the verge of causing a tragedy.
“The three hazardous buildings under construction do not meet the bare minimum safety standard and do not have approvals,” the governor stated.
“There are sixty two buildings that have violated the terms of the approvals that were issued and have built extended floors,” he added.
Further, a total of 97 buildings are said to have been erected without requisite approvals.
He ordered county teams to ensure the constructions are halted pending regularisation.
“I will not wait for disasters to happen to take action. I hereby order and direct the immediate issuance of stop orders on these structures and immediate regularization,” Nassir added.
“The County Inspectorate Department is expected to strictly implement this enforcement directive without fear or favour. Mombasa must be a county of good order!”
MOMBASA SHALL BE A COUNTY OF GOOD ORDER
— Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir (@A_S_Nassir) November 18, 2022
Barely one week after taking office, I signed Executive Order No. 3 of 2022 establishing a Taskforce to check on the compliance of buildings under construction in Mombasa County. pic.twitter.com/TAH6JYnbzv
The latest comes amid a surge in cases of collapsed buildings in Nairobi and Kiambu counties.
Two people died while two others escaped unhurt after a building which was under construction collapsed in Ruaka, Kiambu county on Thursday.
The six-storey building under construction collapsed at Joyland area killing on the spot a husband and wife who were sleeping in their home, adjacent to the building when they were trapped in the rubble.
The two deceased were named Peter Njuthi and his wife Faith Wambui aged 73 and 50 years respectively while their son and his friend, were injured and rushed to hospital where they were said to be out of danger.
The incident came only three days after another six-storey building collapsed in Kasarani, Nairobi claiming three lives.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja called for the arrest of the developer of the ill-fated Kasarani building, which collapsed on Tuesday.
He said his office is in liaison with the D*irectorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and police to search and immediately arrest the developer.
Sakaja said the developer never got a permit from city hall for the construction.
“The developer did not get a permit from the county. There was an enforcement notice but because of impunity, he decided to go on. He needs to be charged with murder,” he said.
Stamping authority, the county boss said city hall will take action and the developer must be charged in court.
There are increasing concerns over the standards of materials being used for construction and whether the manufacturers enforce quality assessment procedures.
Fingers are also being pointed at county governments over their efficacy in the supervision and enforcement of construction procedures.
