06 May 2016•Update: 20 May 2016
NAIROBI, Kenya
Kenya began demolishing "unsafe houses" in the capital Nairobi after the death toll from a six-story building collapse last week jumped to 42 Friday, a Nigerian official said.
Nigerian Public Works Principle Secretary Paul Mwangi said the authority was going ahead with its demolition program in Huruma estate, which lies to the northeast of the Central business district, despite the fact that people drag them to courts when attempts are made to destroy substandard buildings.
"We have tried to destroy such buildings in this area [in the past] but the owners always go to court and the process is either delayed or barred; [but] this time round, we will destroy all of the marked buildings come next week, we will no longer lose lives," Mwangi said.
The houses in the area are mainly made of galvanized sheets, sticks and dried mud. As rains continued pounding the Kenyan capital Friday, bulldozers were seen tearing down the houses.
The Kenyan government vowed that come Monday it will demolish 20 multi-storied buildings in the Kenyan capital that do not meet the country’s building standards.
This came as a 198-room building erected on a riparian area came down due to floods.
Some officials fear the death toll may rise even further than 42 since more than 50 people remain unaccounted for.
On Thursday, four people, including a pregnant woman were rescued from the collapsed building, six days after the collapse.
On Friday, a woman who was critically injured in the incident passed away.
