Kiambu County Assembly Finance Committee has recommended the demolition of a 15-floor building in Juja Sub-County over violation of safety laws.
At the same time,
the team is demanding Ksh 60 million from owners of the structure in unpaid
revenue to the County Government.
They also said they
learnt that police were guarding construction of the building to block county
revenue officers from accessing it, amid claims that the premises belongs to a
powerful individual.
The committee led
by the chairman Zack Mbugua (Kiuu war) and Vice-Chairman James Kamau (Kikuyu)
expressed shock after learning that only five floors were initially approved
but 10 more were irregularly added to the structure under unclear circumstances.
Incidentally an
order was issued on October 19 last year by the County Executive Committee for
the demolition of the building which is about 100 meters from the Juja sub
county offices, but construction continued unabated.
Kamau said the
committee was shocked on realizing that the building that was approved for 5
floors has gone up to 15 floors in total disregard of safety issues, terrming
this is impunity of the worst order.
Addressing journalists
after conducting an impromptu tour of the house, the committee members also
expressed concern over a petrol station under construction within the premises.
They asked Governor
Kimani Wamatangi to intervene and ensure the building is pulled down before
disaster strikes.
At some point the
presser was disrupted when a woman said to be one of the partners of the
project stormed the place and started shouting.
Mbugua said the law
must be followed, noting that over the last two to three months people have
lost lives following the collapse of buildings in the county.
The MCAs move comes
less than two months after a 6-storey building in Ruiru sub county collapsed
hours after 200 occupants were evacuated.
Before that at
least five other people were killed by collapsed buildings in Kirigiti, Kiambu
town and Ruaka area of Kiambaa constituency.