A building is coming up inside Umoja Innercore between Unity Primary School and Oloiboni Hotel.
The planned 8 storey building has angered residents for its use of materials that are below the required standards.
For example, the foundation that the building stands on was filled with more sand instead of rocks as required.
The foundation had been left to the elements for over 10 years and when construction started, nothing much was done to stabilize the building.
According to residents in nearby buildings, the use of blocks that are made from cement, ballast and water as opposed to machine cut stones makes the building unstable.
Many are fearing that the building which is now at the 7th floor might collapse.
Powerful owner
Former Interior Permanent Secretary (PS) Karanja Kibicho is rumored to be the owner of the said building.
The manner in which it is rushed signals the owner is trying to hide money gotten from illicit deals.
“Now that they know we know that the building belongs to Karanja Kibicho, they have started deviating and say it belongs to the owner of Oloiboni Hotel”, a resident told Umoja News.
As per National Construction Authority, National Environmental Management Authority require certain standards to be followed in building construction.
The Kibicho building is being constructed without a scaffold safety net, causing great distress to residents in nearby buildings.
Kenyans like hiding money in construction, this is why the people from former regimes are in a construction frenzy. – Umoja Innercore Resident
No building in Umoja Estate should surpass 4th floor, the Kibicho building plans 8 floors yet the foundation, as per experts, cannot hold.
Residents confronted the site manager, a Mr Mugo, but he told them, ‘there’s nowhere they can take him”.
