Ksh1.5 million pit latrine sinks a day to launch

By Eliud Mwangi, K24 Digital
On Fri, 12 Jun, 2020 12:00 | 2 mins read

The four-door, 30-foot pit latrine was constructed at a cost of Ksh1.5 million. [PHOTO: ELIUD MWANGI | K24 DIGITAL]
The four-door, 30-foot pit latrine was constructed at a cost of Ksh1.5 million. [PHOTO: ELIUD MWANGI | K24 DIGITAL]

A contractor tasked with building a pit latrine at Kabatini Ward Administration Offices in Nakuru County has been put on the spot after the structure he was putting up at a cost of Ksh1.5 million caved in on Thursday, June 11.

The Ksh1.5 million pit latrine was being constructed at the Kabatini Ward Administration Offices in Nakuru County. [PHOTO: ELIUD MWANGI | K24 DIGITAL]

Carofa Enterprises, the contractor that was awarded the tender, moved to the site on Saturday, June 6, and had pledged to complete the work by Saturday, June 13.

By Wednesday evening (June 10), what was left uncompleted, was the four-door pit latrine’s roof. Five people working on the 30-foot lavatory were yet to report to work Thursday morning, when it came tumbling down.

The pit latrine was due for completion on Saturday, June 13. [PHOTO: ELIUD MWANGI | K24 DIGITAL]

Kabatini Ward MCA Peter Macharia faulted the contractor for using poor quality building materials and employing poor workmanship in the construction of the Ksh1.5 million structure.

“We thank God the latrine hadn’t been launched for use, otherwise we’d be talking of a tragedy now,” said Macharia.

“The County Government of Nakuru should properly vet these contractors before giving them jobs to avoid wasting taxpayers’ money on people who do shoddy work,” added the ward rep.

K24 Digital’s attempts to reach the contractor bore no fruit as our communication went unreturned.