15 June 2011
editorial
Nairobi — Kenyans are proving to be insatiable gluttons for punishment in many ways.
Either we do not learn from past tragedies, or we are too blinded by money-lust to care.
Why else would buildings under construction collapse with such regularity, killing dozens of workers?
On Wednesday, a six-storey structure going up in Nairobi collapsed, burying an undetermined number of people.
By Wednesday, two had died, eight admitted to hospital, and many others unaccounted for.
It is not clear how many workers were on site although estimates run as high as 50.
Should this figure be right, then we are staring at a potential catastrophe, and this time, someone must pay for it.
The major cause of such disasters has been established as poor workmanship and a host of structural deficiencies.
To start with, the building was going up in a swamp, but apparently, there was no one to intervene. Who authorised the construction?
Secondly, the quality of materials used was allegedly poor. Are there no building standards and shouldn’t someone be supervising such things?
Kenyans want answers to these questions – and fast too.
AllAfrica – All the Time
Taken from:
Kenyans Want Answers