Kariakoo's final death toll hits at 29 as 88 injured
What you need to know:
- During her visit to the scene, President Samia Suluhu Hassan pledged that her administration would fully implement the recommendations of a committee currently formed to inspect the structural integrity of buildings in Dar es Salaam's Kariakoo area.
Dar es Salaam. The final death toll has reached 29 and 88 injuries in the Kariakoo four-storey building collapse following the recovery of nine more bodies.
The building collapsed at 9am on Saturday, November 16, 2024, causing scores of fatalities and injuries who were separately treated and discharged. The incident also caused damage to properties worth millions of shillings.
Visiting the Kariakoo area shortly after arriving from attending the G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, President Samia Suluhu Hassan approved the clean-up exercise that could pave the way to establishing whether there were more trapped people in the area.
Addressing journalists yesterday, Chief Government Spokesperson Thobias Makoba said nine more bodies had been found at the scene during the removal of debris.
Mr Makoba, who doubles as the Director of Information Services, stated that the rescue operation was concluded yesterday.
“The two buildings located next to the collapsed building in Congo and Mchikichi streets have been put under investigation,” he said.
He said while the investigation was underway, the two business activities had been in other streets where they were suspended shortly after the incident.
Regarding the safety of two buildings located next to the collapsed building, Mr Makoba said both buildings will be inspected by experts to ensure their safety.
During her visit to the scene, President Hassan pledged that her administration would fully implement the recommendations of a committee currently formed to inspect the structural integrity of buildings in Dar es Salaam's Kariakoo area.
President Hassan was referring to a committee she directed Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa to oversee the formation of a team tasked with thoroughly inspecting all buildings at Kariakoo to assess their structural conditions.
The President said the government's priority is to ensure safety and compliance with building regulations in one of Dar es Salaam's busiest and most densely populated areas.
“We will disclose the findings and recommendations of the team. We will not hesitate to follow the recommendation to demolish substandard buildings if that would be the commissions’ endorsement,” she said, promising to follow the recommendations that would be given.
he call for a detailed investigation into the building's collapse and subsequent structural safety comes after analysts raised concerns over the government's past response to similar recommendations.
In 2013, she said two commissions worked on the area and submitted their recommendations, hinting that the gathered information would be helpful in the new planned measures. Earlier, a committee was formed in 2006 after the collapse of the Chang’ombe Village Inn at Keko, which killed one person and injured several others.
The probe found that out of 505 buildings inspected, 147 lacked proper construction documentation.
Further alarming findings revealed that 81 buildings violated construction regulations, while 22 were built without any traceable ownership, disregarding legal procedures.
The findings were documented, but little was done afterward, leading many to question whether the latest investigation into the Kariakoo incident will lead to substantial changes.
However, President Suluhu vowed that her administration would take decisive action following the ongoing inspections.
“The collapse of the building has sent a clear message to the government about the need for a comprehensive review of the structural integrity of all buildings in Kariakoo,” she said, noting the poor management and cost-cutting measures that led to the disaster.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, addresses residents after inspecting the disaster area following the building collapse in Kariakoo, Ilala District, Dar es Salaam, on November 20, 2024. PHOTO | STATE HOUSE
She explained that the building in question had been constructed with minimal financial investment without adequate analysis of the potential risks involved, ultimately leading to its collapse.
“To avoid such incidents in the future, we have already formed a team of 20 experts who are diligently working to ensure that buildings in Kariakoo are built to standard and that such accidents do not happen again,” President Suluhu added.
The tragedy, she said, demonstrates failures at multiple levels of governance, from central and local governments to regional authorities, saying it was imperative that all stakeholders—government entities, civil society, and the public—work together to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
Read: Kariakoo building collapse sparks urgent call for improved urban planning and construction standards
The President called for strict adherence to construction standards and greater scrutiny during project implementation to ensure public safety. She noted that while permits were issued, quality control during construction was neglected, leading to the catastrophe.
