Patel Farm owners were negligent, govt report reveals

Emerging reports have now revealed that the Patel Farm owners were negligent leading to what the government now terms as “unnecessary loss of lives.”

A detailed multi-agency report led by the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government indicates that the location of the dam vis-a-vis the settlement badly exposed the people around it consequently leading to the tragic loss of 47 lives and the displacement of over 2,000 families.

“Even though prevailing heavy unseasonal rains are being blamed for the disaster, there is clear evidence that the earth wall of the dam had started failing much earlier before the event and no attempt was made to rectify it especially during interval periods of dry weather,” reads the reports in part.

The report, which comes amid calls to drain the remaining Patel Dams, further indicates that a relocation is needed saying that such natural calamities are likely to occur in future endangering the safety of the whole of Solai community.

While acknowledging the economic impact of the Patel Farm as a source of livelihood to virtually the whole of Solai community, the report insists that the safety and sustainability of the built environment must be taken into account.

“The severe soil erosion has rendered the land unproductive and this will have an adverse effect on the farming activity. Humanitarian activities are being carried out to assist the affected persons,” the report indicated.

The report has now recommended that urgent prevention measures be taken to avoid any similar future occurrence.

This comes just a week after the Kenya Human Rights Commission accused state officers of laxity saying they did not act on earlier information from members of the public warning them off imminent danger posed by the dam.

In a report released on Friday, the commission insisted that the Solai Dam disaster could have been averted.

Mansukh Patel, the owner of the killer Patel Dam has since apologised to the people of Solai whose lives were devastated by the tragedy.

Mansukh, who is the chairman of Solai Group, offered condolences to the victims saying that they will investigate as well as support the affected families.

The multi-agencies who came up with the findings include; Police Service, Disaster Response Unit, Kenya Red Cross Society, KDF, Kenya power &lighting company, Ministry Of Health, National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation.