Embakasi residents through politician Francis Mureithi are pursuing justice through legal channels concerning the LPG fire accident that occurred two months ago.
On the night of 1 February, a gas cylinder filling depot, situated in the heart of the residential area, exploded sending balls of fire high up in the sky, and spreading over a wide densely populated area.
By the time the fire was contained, 10 people had lost their lives. Hundreds of others suffered serious burns that have continued to claim lives, some deaths coming as late as last week.
Mureithi who is a key ally to President William Ruto is taking several entities, including NEMA, the Nairobi City County, the Attorney General, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Maxxis Nairobi Energy, and the Ministry of Energy, to court.
In the lawsuit, Francis Mureithi alleges that the six entities, including NEMA, Nairobi City Council, the Ministry of Energy, EPRA, Maxxis Nairobi Energy, and the Nairobi County government, neglected their duties, leading to the tragic LPG fire accident in Mradi.
Mureithi contends that NEMA, Nairobi City Council, the Ministry of Energy, and EPRA failed the residents by permitting the licensing and operation of a gas refill facility in a residential area.
The Nairobi County government is accused of inadequately protecting Mradi’s residents from the dangers associated with the gas refill facility and responding inadequately to the fire tragedy.
Maxxis Energy, the operating business entity, faces accusations of failing to ensure the safe execution of activities at the property and neglecting to provide treatment, housing, and compensation to the gas blast victims.
Collectively, Mureithi asserts that the defendants caused the loss of at least ten lives, violated the residents’ right to human dignity by exposing them to flammable materials, and compelled them to abandon their homes following the blast, among other violations.
To remedy the situation, Mureithi seeks a court order for the defendants to provide alternative land or shelter for those affected, grant access to quality medical treatment, settle current and future medical bills, and compensate families who lost loved ones or suffered injuries and property damage.
In a related development, the owner of the gas refill facility, Derrick Kimathi, was recently arraigned alongside three NEMA officials accused of illegally issuing him a license to operate.
