The Azimio One Kenya leader Raila Odinga has stated that failure by Nairobi county to demarcate residential areas and business premises is to blame for the gas explosion that claimed six lives in Embakasi.
Raila who has also blamed Nairobi county government for negligence after the February 1 explosion that shook the city.
While speaking in Kisumu yesterday, Raila blamed Sakaja for failing to control mushrooming businesses in the city contrary to urban planning regulations.
According to the opposition leader, solutions to proper planing in the various cities across the country include tough decisions such as demolition, relocation of structure and people and featuring the systems which is temporary pain but has long term benefits.
” The city ignored its planning and allowed a gas filling plant that was not supposed to be there.” Raila pointed out.
He counties to be stick to urban planning rules and even demolish illegal structures in towns so as to attract investors adding that no investor would put their money in a city that is not well planned.
“Investors cannot put their money where there is no order or law.” He said.
The ODM leader also noted that Kenyans roads have been turned into deathtrap due to lack of proper planning.
The critic by Raila comes at a time when a section of politicians in Nairobi have been claiming that governor Sakaja and Raila are joined at the hip.
This has also been the assumption of those conversant with city politics since the Azimio which is the majority in Nairobi County Assembly.
For this reason, some MCAs from the coalition have been supporting Sakaja who was elected on UDA ticket.
The remarks by the ODM leader seems to have caught many by surprise who have been insinuating that it is through Raila that the governor has survived political turbulence in the city since the 2022 general elections.
Since the gas plant explosion Governor Sakaja has not been seen in public even as his close aides give contradicting information over the whereabouts of the city boss.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has also accused Nairobi County Government of not fairly assisting victims of the gas plant explosion.
“We will not allow this to happen. Out of a budget of 245million per year for disaster management, the county government of Nairobi has offered 10k to only 25 victims at the social hall.” Owino said on his social handles after meeting with several CECS and Chief Officers
“The total number of victims are 300.Nairobi County Government should give at least 100K to each Victim to help them start life again since they lack rent, clothing, food and children.” He added.
The illegal gas plant explosion at Miradi area left over 300 people injured and were treated in various city hospitals while six succumbed to injuries.
