One dead, two missing as drainage water sweeps through Kibera houses

Kibera residents gather outside the area where three people were swept away after a wall built around a drainage reservoir collapsed. One woman died while two people are still missing following the incident. PHOTO | LILIAN MUTAVI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The wall was erected by the Kenya Railways Corporation who are undertaking a housing project.
  • Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero said that the wall came down after heavy rains were experienced on Wednesday.
  • The governor accused the contractor of not building a strong wall saying the materials used were substandard.

One person has died and two are missing after being swept away by water following the collapse of a wall that was erected to hold back drainage water in Kibera.

The wall collapsed following heavy rains and the missing people are believed to have been swept away by the water.

The wall was erected by the Kenya Railways Corporation who are undertaking a housing project under the Relocation Action Plan (RAP) along the railway corridor in Nairobi’s Kibera, Makongeni and Mukuru slums.

Speaking to journalists in Kibera, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero said that the wall came down after heavy rains on Wednesday, sweeping three people away and damaging properties in nearby houses.

“There is a wall that came down when it rained on Wednesday evening and water passed through some houses and took away three people. One lady was found dead and two are yet to be found,” said Dr Kidero.

BLAMED CONTRACTOR

The governor accused the contractor of not building a strong wall saying the materials used were substandard.

The city county government has also stopped the construction of the Kenya Railways houses and wall in Kibera until investigations are done on the quality of the work.

Dr Kidero has also ordered the contractor and architect to meet with the county engineers and officials from the Planning Department who will review the quality of their work.

He added that Kenya Railways has not gone to the ground following the incident or given any assitance to the affected families.

“The county government fire department and disaster management unit are on the ground trying to retrieve the bodies but we are also appealing to the national government to help in the search,” said Dr Kidero.

He accused the railway corporation of being inhuman for not showing concern despite the tragedy having been caused by their project.