Tag: Solai tragedy

The 48th victim of the Solai Dam tragedy Joyce Nyambura Maina (39) was laid to rest on Tuesday at her Nyakinyua farm in Solai in a very emotional funeral service.

The late is a victim of the shoddy compensation scheme by the owner of the killer Dam Patel Manskul after she lost her home and business during the Solai Dam tragedy.

To make matters worse the late was forced to sign an agreement as far as compensation of the victims was concerned.

It is at this particular period that her hypertension complications started after she was given Ksh 10,000 only as compensation.

The late was taken to Bahati Sub county where she succumbed on Wednesday 4th July 2018 leaving behind 4 children(age between 8 and 16 years).

Speaking during the funeral service, Kabazi Ward MCA Dr.Peter Mbae said the deceased lost her life due to the shoddy compensation exercise and that those who were behind the same should be held responsible.

“The late succumbed to shoddy compensation that was spearheaded by greedy individuals and that is why we are saying we need a system in place to ensure that the genuine victims of the Solai dam tragedy get justice” said Dr.Mbae.

He slammed at individuals who took advantage of the tragedy to con the real victims subjecting them to depression saying they must face the law.

According to the Kabazi MCA, the real victims of the tragedy were left out on the compensation lists; instead the lists contained people who were not affected in any way by the tragedy.

“We have individuals who rushed with the shoddy compensation and that is why this happened but we are saying time is now to ensure a good system in place for compensation of the real victims of the tragedy” he said.

Dr.Mbae added that as leaders they will not rest until the victims of the Solai dam tragedy get compensated.

The MCA said they are concluding the exercise of collecting signatures from the real victims and move to court over the issue of compensation of real victims of the killer dam.

He however sounded a stern warning to individuals masquerading as victims of the Solai dam tragedy that they risk facing the law.“If you know you are not a victim of the Solai dam tragedy please don’t move next to the lawyers doing the registration” warned Mbae.

This coming barely days after the Senate ad hoc committee investigating the Patel dam tragedy in Subukia Nakuru County visited the area on fact finding mission where the members admitted receiving threats from some quotas in an attempt to have the matter compromised.

The committee’s chair Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior speaking over the weekend when the committee visited families affected by the tragedy that claimed 47 lives said members of the committee had received threats.

“We have received threats. Some members of the committee have even been called to be bribed but for the sake of justice, we said no! Lazima kieleweke and we must ensure justice for the people of Solai,” said Mutula.

Details have also emerged that local administrators duped affected families into the signing a compensation agreement.

The families also accused local administrators of altering the compensation list to include people who were not affected.

The Senate committee revoked the compensation list.“Impunity must come to an end and Solai case will serve as an example.

Those who have received money from Patel to mess up the exercise will have to vomit the money. In fact, the compensation lists have been revoked,” said Mutula.

Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika said the committee will not be intimidated by anyone.

“We know there is pressure left, right and centre for us to abandon the investigations but we are saying we will not be cowed until we ensure justice,” said Kihika.

PHOTO/Pristone Mambili:Kabazi ward MCA Dr.Peter Mbae addressing mourners as the 48th victim of the Solai Dam tragedy Joyce Nyambura Maina (39) was laid to rest in Nyakinyua.

The Senate ad hoc committee investigating the Patel dam tragedy in Subukia Nakuru County has admitted receiving threats from some quotas in attempt to have the matter compromised.

The committee Chair Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior speaking over the weekend when the committee visited families affected by the tragedy that claimed 47 lives said members of the committee had received threats from some quotas.

However, the Makueni Senator who is also a lawyer by profession said the threats will not deter them from ensuring justice for the victims.

“We have received threats.Some members of the committee have even been called to be bribed but for the sake of justice we said no…..Lazima kieleweke and we must ensure justice for the people of Solai” said Mutula.

This even at emerged that local administrators duped affected families into signing of compensation list.

Giving their views, the families blamed the local administrators whom they claimed had altered the compensation lists by including people who were not affected by the tragedy.

It is due to the complains raised by the families that the Senate ad hoc committee revoked all the compensation lists that had been signed.

While revoking the lists, the committee chair said it was wrong for local administrators to play around with the compensation exercise of the victims.

“Impunity must come to an end and Solai case will serve as an example. Those who have received money from Patel to mess up the exercise will have to vomit the money.Infact the compensation lists have been revoked” said Mutula.

Sentiments echoed by Nakuru senator Susan Kihika who said the committee will not be cowed following pressure to have it abandon the investigations sittings.

Senator Kihika who on 10^th May vowed to fight tooth and nail to have Solai dam victims find justice stated that they will remain firm to ensure justice for the families affected by the tragedy.

“We know there is pressure left, right and centre for us to abandon the investigations but we are saying we will not be cowed until we ensure justice” said Kihika.

The committee revealed that they will be meeting interior Cabinet Secretary Dr.Fred Matiang’i over the same.

This coming a time when the families affected are accusing the local administrators among them chiefs and Deputy county commissioner for interfering with the whole process of compensation.

 

PHOTO/Susan Kihika Communication Unit:Members of the Senate ad hoc committee during their visit to Solai on fact finding.

Effects of the collapse of Patel dam  in Solai Nakuru county  have left hundreds of survivors devastated.

Following closure of the Solai Boys high school camp, those who had sought refuge in the camp moved to rental houses in Solai Township and neighboring Kamukunji and Bahati trading centres.

The bigger numbers consists of those who were given a consolation fee of Sh 30,000 to keep them going as the government makes plans to assist the victims rebuild their lives.

To many of the victims who are now trying to pick up pieces, the consolation fee is just a drop of water in the ocean.

Two of the families that we visited in Solai Nyakinyua farm have already exhausted the cash.

They only managed to pay three months rent, buy some utensils and cater for simple school needs for their children.

And although they were given bedding, foodstuff and clothing most of them have expressed fear that the will take some time to return to normalcy especially those who used to work inside Patel Farm.

Teresiah Njeri who is yet to bury the body of her eight year old child due to a dispute says that life has changed completely because she used to live in her own house.

She says having been used to living in a four bedroom house and cultivating a three quarters acre piece of land is a complete turn over from the current situation of living in a single room house.

“Having to wait for DNA results in order to bury my child has occasioned me mental torture.

Njeri used to earn Sh 270 daily.

She says that having lost her husband in the tragedy, she has to re organize herself as she has to work hard in order to make ends meet.

Jane Wambui lost her two children among them a daughter who left behind five children all of whom depend on her now.

The casual labourer said that she was given Shs 30,000 and as at now she has only Sh 1000 left.

The money according to the government was to keep the families going for three months.

While calling on the government to hasten the process of reconstructing their houses, Wambui says that despite great efforts from the government, the Patel Family and well wishers, it will be difficult for them to “stand again on their feet” as they used to before.

They only hang on to faith hoping that the future will be bright for them at some stage.

 

 

PHOTO/CGTN Africa: Effects of the collapse of Patel dam  in Solai Nakuru county  have left hundreds of survivors devastated.

The search mission for the missing bodies at the Solai Dam tragedy has been scaled down even as political leaders call for inspection of all the dams in the area to avert such tragedies in future.

Speaking during a Sunday service attended by affected families of the tragedy, Nakuru Deputy Governor Dr.Erick Korir said the county government and other stakeholders will work closely with the affected families to ensure restoration.

The DG also assured the families that the county government of Nakuru has taken up measures to ensure that challenges that might have led to the tragedy are addressed to avert such incidents in future.

He added that the county government will ensure land surveyor is brought to the site to try and ensure no conflict of boundaries will erupt after the tragedy.

The county government has also announced to cater for hospital expenses including the postmortem.

“As a county government we stand with the families and on Wednesday we shall have interdenominational service here on Wednesday and the county will cater for medical bills. We shall also ensure surveyors come to help address the boundaries” he said.

Subukia MP Nelson Gachobe on his part stated that the tragedy could have been avoided adding that some questions needs answers on the same.

The legislator also called on the leadership to ensure that the remaining dams are inspected to avert such in future.

“If the law had been followed then this tragedy could not have happened and that I why we are saying this is the time for the law to be followed” he said.

Area MCA Dr.Peter Mbae confirmed that indeed the search mission had been scaled down but noted that it was successful.

While commending all the levels of government as well as other stakeholders, Dr.Mbae stated that after the Wednesday interdenominational prayers then the leaders will embark on ensuring restoration of the families.

The families will be compensated and relocated from the school and have houses constructed for them.

“I must commend the government and other stakeholders for the unity and the love during this tragedy. We will have prayers on Wednesday and then we shall embark on restoring families. We therefore call on well-wishers to still contribute construction materials” said Mbae.

Dr.Peter Koros who also attended the Sunday Service condoled with the families but called on government to ensure that in future Dams are constructed only after engineers get to approve the same.

He also appealed to Kenyans to learn from such tragedy and ensure that law is followed to the latter.

“I want to call on the government to ensure that before dams are constructed anywhere engineers asses and approve them. This will help to avert such in future” he said.

PHOTO/Nation: The aftermath of the Solai Dam tragedy.