Injured Sigiri Bridge workers to be paid

The Chinese firm that is constructing the Sigiri Bridge in Budalang’i that collapsed on Monday has taken responsibility and said it will meet the medical needs of the 25 workers who were injured during the incident.

The Sh1.2 billion bridge collapsed early Monday morning less than two weeks after President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy inspected the project in the company of Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba.

On Monday, the opposition leader Raila Odinga while speaking a rally in Siaya County urged President Kenyatta to take responsibility for the bridge’s collapse.

Chinese Overseas Construction and Engineering Company Project Manager Jerome Xzue Hua on Tuesday said that they were equally baffled by the Sigiri Bridge’s collapsed and vowed to probe the cause despite ruling out poor workmanship.

“This is very unusual because all the standards and specifications required by the employer were met,” said Hua.

“We have experienced engineers and we are equally baffled by what happened. We hope to find the root cause of the problem and rectify the matter.”

The collapsed attracted ire from Kenyans, especially on social media, who seemed to be equally baffled by the seemingly high cost of the bridge.

Speaking after the bridge’s collapse, Budalangi MP Namwamba insisted that despite the setback, the project will be completed as planned by the government.

The MP praised the project saying it is poised to open up the region to increased trade.

“The dream for the Sigiri Bridge still lives on. Nothing will dampen this spirit,” vowed Namwamba.

Mr Namwamba called on investigative agencies to hasten the inquiry and find the root cause of the incident.

The Budalang’i Constituency lawmaker rebuked his former party leader Raila Odinga accusing him of seeking to gain political mileage by politicizing the bridge collapse.

“Let him not play politics with development and the lives of our people,” said the now Jubilee affiliated politician.