Shakazulu
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 23, 2007
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Waititu to NCC: Buildings were built to collapse and kill people, you will not demolish them
Daily Standard on June 22nd, 2011
NAIROBI, Kenya - Embakasi Member of Parliament Ferdinand Waititu issued a statement to the Nairobi City Council yesterday, vowing to block any planned demolitions of buildings in his constituency that do not meet safety standards.
He made the declaration in response to a directive by Local Government minister and lame-duck Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi ordering the council to begin demolition of "any substandard structures".
Said Hon. Waititu: "These buildings were built to collapse. It makes no sense for them to be demolished, because any buildings that collapse are meant to be a lesson to all other contractors out there not to build any shoddy structures. So demolishing them would beat the purpose of their existence."
Vowing to hire youth to deter any of said attempts, Hon. Waititu went on to explain that it is unfair to demolish any buildings above 5 storeys with no elevators, seeing how "these particular contractors had the best interests of Kenyans' health in mind when deliberately omitting lifts in their building plans."
"We are quickly becoming a fast food nation. Let's try other ways of making sure our citizens are getting the exercise they need."
When questioned on lives that would be lost in the event of the collapse of a substandard building, he reiterated that this would further reinforce the lesson for other contractors, adding: "This would contribute to overall job creation, both on the long and short term, hence contributing immensely to Vision 2030."
He urged his critics not to rush to ridicule his reason, seeing how he has the nation's best interest at heart: "I already proved this by expressing my willingness to pay taxes."
Daily Standard on June 22nd, 2011
NAIROBI, Kenya - Embakasi Member of Parliament Ferdinand Waititu issued a statement to the Nairobi City Council yesterday, vowing to block any planned demolitions of buildings in his constituency that do not meet safety standards.
He made the declaration in response to a directive by Local Government minister and lame-duck Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi ordering the council to begin demolition of "any substandard structures".
Said Hon. Waititu: "These buildings were built to collapse. It makes no sense for them to be demolished, because any buildings that collapse are meant to be a lesson to all other contractors out there not to build any shoddy structures. So demolishing them would beat the purpose of their existence."
Vowing to hire youth to deter any of said attempts, Hon. Waititu went on to explain that it is unfair to demolish any buildings above 5 storeys with no elevators, seeing how "these particular contractors had the best interests of Kenyans' health in mind when deliberately omitting lifts in their building plans."
"We are quickly becoming a fast food nation. Let's try other ways of making sure our citizens are getting the exercise they need."
When questioned on lives that would be lost in the event of the collapse of a substandard building, he reiterated that this would further reinforce the lesson for other contractors, adding: "This would contribute to overall job creation, both on the long and short term, hence contributing immensely to Vision 2030."
He urged his critics not to rush to ridicule his reason, seeing how he has the nation's best interest at heart: "I already proved this by expressing my willingness to pay taxes."
