Nairobi, Kenya: Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi alias Sonko is planning to sue several state officers for criminal negligence over the Mutindwa train-matatu crash.
Scene of Mutindwa scrash involving a bus and a train. 11 people lost their lives.
Sonko says the crash, may have been averted had state agencies followed the law during the construction of the road linking Umoja and Buruburu estate.
He says officers from the Kenya Railways, ministry of Transport and the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan ministry should be held responsible for the crash that led to the deaths of 11 people for failing to put in place safety measures.
Sonko is also targeting a contractor, SS Mehta, for allegedly failing to erect bumps on the 5 km road.
Barriers
“The contractor, Kenya Railways, officers from Nairobi Metropolitan, the resident engineer and officers from ministry of Transport all played a role in the negligence that eventually led to the unfortunate deaths,” he said. The Senator, says the accident could have been avoided altogether if barriers had been erected.
“In other areas, Kenya Railways has erected barriers which automatically close the road to allow a train to pass. Why is the Mutindwa Crossing different?”
In a statement, Sonko he will demand to know why the government paid contractors in spite of failing to erect “bumps as required”.
“As much as I support the charging of the bus driver, the other officers including those in government and the contractor should be made accountable for their negligent actions.” The Senator also supported the state’s action to demolish structures erected near the railway line.
By Geoffrey Mosoku, The Standard
