Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan demands parliamentary probe into delays at Eastleigh building collapse rescue

The Kamukunji MP says fading hopes of finding survivors and shortages of rescue equipment have exposed serious gaps in Kenya’s disaster response system.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan demands parliamentary probe into delays at Eastleigh building collapse rescue

The Kamukunji MP says fading hopes of finding survivors and shortages of rescue equipment have exposed serious gaps in Kenya’s disaster response system.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan has called for a parliamentary investigation into the country’s disaster management operations, citing delays and inadequate resources during the rescue mission at the collapsed building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, which entered its tenth day on Sunday.

Yusuf said hopes of finding more survivors were fading nearly ten days after the 16-storey building collapsed, as families continued waiting for updates on their missing relatives.

He criticised the pace of the rescue operation, questioning whether authorities had sufficient personnel and equipment to respond effectively to emergencies.

"At the moment, we have lost hopes, that infact, this far, nearly ten days after the collapse, that we can really find any person alive, barring a miracle." Yusuf said.

The MP urged authorities to review the operation and ensure that everyone still trapped in the rubble, including those who may have died, is recovered to help families establish the whereabouts of their loved ones.

He said the prolonged operation had forced families to wait at the site every day without knowing the fate of their relatives. He added that he feared the next updates would bring news of deaths rather than survivors.

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𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞 - 11 missing as Eastleigh debris clearance nears completion

Yusuf also called on Nairobi County to accelerate efforts to reopen roads around the collapsed building, saying the closure of sections of First Avenue, Second Avenue and Ninth Street had disrupted businesses and movement in the area.

He said traders were struggling to resume normal operations because access remained restricted, despite county government efforts to reopen some sections of the affected roads.

The MP said he had urged the relevant authorities, particularly Nairobi County, to clear the debris and reopen the roads to allow residents and traders to return to their daily activities.

" This is a business area, and the road closures have affected businesses here. People are having difficulties accessing and leaving the area, and we have asked the county to start clearing the debris and opening the roads," he said.

Yusuf further announced plans to push for a parliamentary investigation into the country's disaster management operations when Parliament resumes, citing what he described as serious gaps in the response to the Eastleigh building collapse.

He questioned why authorities had taken so long to conduct rescue operations at a single building, pointing to shortages of personnel and heavy equipment, including bulldozers.

The MP said the incident had exposed concerns about the country's preparedness to respond to disasters and called for an assessment of the resources available to emergency response teams.

"I expect that when Parliament resumes, I will raise a motion seeking an investigation into the work of our Disaster Management. We cannot spend nine or ten days at one building. That is too long," he said.

He added that the investigation should establish whether the disaster management department had adequate resources and legal support to fulfil its mandate. He said Parliament should summon the relevant agencies and require them to explain their response to the incident.

The building collapsed on October 23, triggering a rescue operation involving several government agencies and emergency response teams. The search has continued as families await answers about the fate of those still unaccounted for.