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HURUMA TRAGEDY: 130 survivors leave camp, 19 people still missing


At least 130 survivors of the collapsed building have left Huruma Social Hall where they had been housed.

A total of 202 people were being housed in the camp.

The ill-fated building collapsed over a week ago following heavy rainfall.

The victims were taken to the social hall from where they have been receiving support from both county and national governments, and well-wishers.

The county gave each family Sh10,000 for resettlement and Sh50,000 per family that lost a loved one to help with funeral arrangements.

DONATIONS

Planning and lands executive Christopher Khaemba, who spoke on Monday during a visit by first ladies of counties who donated food and money to the families, said the victims would get more donations as soon as the Kenya Red Cross provides the list of those affected.

Mr Khaemba lamented that children from affected families are yet to resume school which reopened last week but promised the county government will settle their fees.

“As you are aware, most of these children will not go back to the same schools and the county will follow up and pay their fees,” said Mr Khaemba.

He said City Hall would next week resume demolition of all houses marked as faulty after a one-week grace period.

Mr Khaemba said 250 houses would be brought down, 78 of them in Huruma alone.

START DEMOLITIONS

He urged owners of the marked buildings to start demolishing them to salvage their building materials, failure to which the county government will bring them down at the owners’ cost.

“We are advising those living in houses marked ‘X’ to move out because they have structural defects,” said Mr Khaemba.

He said all houses built on river banks and riparian land would be brought down, including the Sh1 billion building on Lang’ata road, Nairobi.

“We understand owners of the house on Lang’ata road have gone to court but the county government has challenged the order,” said Mr Khaemba.

He said they are also investigating houses approved by the defunct city council and those found to be defective or on riparian land will be demolished.

Mr Pius Masai, the deputy director National Disaster Management Unit, said 19 people are still missing even after rescue operations ended.

At least 13 bodies remain unidentified at City Mortuary. The search has been extended into Nairobi River.

The county First Ladies Association, led by Nairobi First Lady Susan Kidero, on Monday donated Sh200,000 worth food and another Sh200,000 in cash. Mrs Kidero urged residents to vacate unsafe houses.