Kenya: 5 Dead After Building Collapse

Facts

• Eight people were rescued and five were reported dead after a six-story building collapsed in Kiambu, Kenya on Monday. The rescue efforts continue to evolve.
• The building was still under construction before it collapsed on adjacent houses where most of the victims are thought to have been. A young child pulled from the rubble is among the survivors.
• Military personnel, the Red Cross, National Youth Service, and local volunteers went to the collapse site in Kiambu Town, approximately 12 miles north of the capital Nairobi.
• Excavators could be seen removing debris from the site, including cracked concrete slabs, as well as home appliances and furniture from the houses that were impacted.
• A woman and two children are among the dead. Kiambu's Governor Kimani Wamatangi is coordinating the rescue effort.
• Although the cause of the collapse is yet unknown, previous building failures in the country have been attributed to poor building practices and inadequate structural design.

Sources: Capital FM, BBC News, Bol, and KBC.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by DW. This tragedy is likely the fault of a developer with little care for Kenya's construction laws. The developer was not authorized to complete this project and, after failing to comply with government requirements, continued anyway. Zoning and inspection are key tools of good governance, and this member of the private sector should be held accountable.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by KBC. Sadly, building collapses like this occur on an all-to-frequent basis in Kenya. The public should be focusing its justifiable anger on the government. This tragedy deserves a full investigation of all parties, including local officials in charge of monitoring the project to ensure there was no malfeasance or incompetence.