240 Athi River apartments found unfit for human habitation

The National Buildings Inspectorate (NBI) has declared at least 240 houses in Athi River as unfit for human habitation after a recent assessment.

The move comes after the houses at Athi River’s Everest Park Apartments phase I, valued at over Ksh.912 million collectively, were found to have developed cracks.

According to a preliminary audit report published by the Business Daily, the state agency has said that, “Since tests already carried out on block 2B show low soil-bearing capacity leading to settlement of the building, similar tests should be extended to all buildings to ascertain their structural integrity. Tenants should be relocated to allow for comprehensive scientific tests to be carried out on all buildings.”

The homes, which were launched in 2012 in a joint venture between Everest Park Limited, the developer, and Shelter Afrique as the equity financier, contains 120 housing units priced at Ksh.2.6 million each, 60 two-bedroom units costing Ksh.4.5 million each and 60 three-bedroom units selling at Ksh.5.5 million each, highlights the report.

Home buyers in the estate are scheduled to undergo major losses, but have already vowed to seek compensation for the period during which they will be evicted for repairs.

Everest Managing Director James Muriuki has, however, denied the report by NBI claiming it “was done with a motive to extort money, undermine the lifelong investment of over 240 innocent Kenyans.”

“This contradicts your own observation and is totally inconsistent with basic scientific principles of specifics as opposed to generalities. For a block that has a hair crack below the window, do you evacuate the residents?” poses Mr Muriuki in his response to the NBI report.