Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has declared "enough is enough," demanding immediate criminal accountability for professionals involved in the recent spate of building collapses in Nairobi. Speaking at State House while addressing Affordable Housing interns, a visible angry DP termed the deaths of innocent workers in Karen and South C as "murder, not accidents," signaling a ruthless crackdown on the rogue construction industry.

The DP’s furious intervention follows a tragic week in the capital. On January 10, a building under construction in Karen collapsed, claiming two lives and leaving several critically injured. This came hot on the heels of another collapse in South C. Preliminary reports from the National Construction Authority (NCA) point to the usual suspects: substandard materials, lack of supervision, and a blatant disregard for approved structural plans.

"Blood on Concrete"

"We cannot continue to bury our young men because a greedy developer wanted to save a few shillings on cement," Kindiki thundered. He directed the DCI to hunt down not just the owners, but the engineers, architects, and county officials who signed off on the death traps. This marks a shift from the usual "investigations will be done" rhetoric to a direct demand for handcuffs.

For Nairobi residents, the fear is palpable. The skyline is dotted with cranes and bamboo scaffolds, but confidence in the integrity of these structures is at an all-time low. The construction boom, meant to be a sign of progress, is turning into a lottery of life and death.

• The NCA's Toothlessness: Experts argue that the NCA has been reduced to a barking dog with no teeth. Without the power to prosecute or physically demolish unsafe structures without endless court orders, their "X" markings on condemned buildings are ignored.
• Corruption at City Hall: The elephant in the room is the approval process. It is an open secret in Nairobi that stamps can be bought. Kindiki’s challenge will be to dismantle the cartel of technical officers at City Hall who facilitate these disasters.

A Call to Order

The DP warned that the government will now seek to charge negligent professionals with manslaughter. "If you are an engineer and your building falls, you should not just lose your license; you should lose your freedom," he stated. As the rubble is cleared in Karen, the message is clear: the cost of cutting corners will no longer be paid in cash, but in prison time.