Chinese Overseas Construction and Engineering Company has not however taken responsibility for the collapse, saying investigations are still underway/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 27- The Chinese company constructing Sigiri Bridge that collapsed in Budalang’i says it will compensate the 27 people injured during the incident.
The company, Chinese Overseas Construction and Engineering Company has not however taken responsibility for the collapse, saying investigations are still underway.
“From our engineering part, this is unusual, as all the standards and specifications were met. We are going to look into the reasons and make public our findings,” he asserted.
The company’s Project Manager Jerome Azhuha says three of the victims will be transferred from a local hospital to another facility for specialised treatment.
He insists that all the standards and specifications were met in the construction of the Sh1.2 billion bridge that collapsed on Monday, nearly two weeks after inspection by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto.
“It is will be our responsibility to compensate the injured,” he said after inspecting the damage to establish if the bridge could be repaired or re-constructed.
The government has launched an investigation into the incident.
The area legislator Ababu Namwamba has assured those who sustained injuries in the incident of the government’s support.
At least 27 workers were injured when the bridge collapsed.
“Medical bills of all those who got injured during the accident will be fully covered by the national government,” the legislator assured.
According to him, the bridge could have collapsed from a number of reasons, foul play and sabotage included.
“The possibility of foul play and sabotage cannot be ruled out because of bad politics. It could be either external or internal,” he said.
He alleged that people working on the bridge could have been used by external forces to engineer the Monday morning incident.
“We are unbowed. The dream of Sigiri lives on and the consensus across board is that the bridge should be completed. Therefore, investigative agencies should carry out the process quickly and tell us what caused the accident,” he said.
Budalang’i parliamentary aspirants Raphael Wanjala and Andrew Nakitare claimed the engineer was under pressure from the Jubilee Government and area MP to complete the project before the General Election.
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