Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has suspended a total of 16 top officials over the Top Talent School tragedy.
A floor at the school collapsed on Monday and left 8 pupils dead.
Sonko said in a statement that the suspension is meant to pave way for a probe.
The Nairobi Governor decried the rot at the Lands and Physical Planning department saying most officers in the department are corrupt and inept.
He said the County Government has to reverse the effects of the impunity that was spearheaded by a few rogue officials within the Urban Planning Department.
“I am convinced beyond doubt that drastic measures have to be taken to reverse the effects of years of flouting Physical Planning Regulations and restore order and sanity, before illegal structures claim more lives as has repeatedly happened before,” he said in the statement.
He added that the suspension will facilitate impartial investigations that have commenced into the unfortunate incident and the conclusion of the ongoing comprehensive systems audit in the Urban Planning Department.
The Nairobi Governor said Justus Kathenge, the suspended County Chief Officer for Urban Planning will continue being on suspension.
Those suspended are Charles Kerich, the current County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Finance and Economic Planning, who is the immediate former CECM for Lands and Urban Planning, Mohammed Dagane – CECM Health (responsible for general public health and safety), Jusper Ndeke, Director Planning Compliance and Enforcement, Dominic Mutegi, Development Management Director, Ochanda Ondari Fredrick, Assistant Director Enforcement, Ruth Waruguru, Director Urban Planning.
Others are Thomas Dudi, Assistant Director Planning, Simon Onyango, Development Officer (regularization of buildings/approval of architectural plans), Alex Mucheru, Development Control (overseeing approvals of buildings and schools on behalf of public health and safety), Mackline Saitera, Development Control (approval of building plans and school inspection), Edna Guantai, In-charge of approval of public buildings and schools on behalf of public health, Joyce Kyengo, Dagoretti South Sub-County Administrator, Lucy Wairimu Munyika, Dagoretti South Sub-County Commander, Sylivia Mwikali Nthinga, Dagoretti South Sub-County Planning Officer and Okal Kennedy, Ngando Ward Administrator.
“To ensure minimal disruption of services at City Hall, I have appointed Pauline Kahiga as the Acting CECM Finance and Economic Planning and Veska Kangogo as the Acting CECM Health,” Sonko said.
Sonko said that he has stated countless times before that his administration shall not condone or tolerate any form of corruption, incompetence or lethargy that may jeopardize the lives of, or negatively affect service delivery to, Nairobi residents in any way whatsoever.
“Every official in my administration must be ready to take personal responsibility for their sector and work, and be prepared to carry their own cross just as I am always ready to carry my own and assume overall responsibility as County CEO,” he said.