Six victims of the tragic gas filling plant explosion in the Mradi area of Embakasi East constituency, which killed over 10 people and injured 300 others, are now seeking justice and blaming the national government for negligence.
In a petition filed by the six victims, all residents of the affected area, they have accused two government agencies and several officials of violating their rights by allowing the unlawful erection of the gas plant.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the County Government of Nairobi, and the Attorney General have been named in the lawsuit. Additionally, the gas tank owner Mwangi Nguyo, Environment CS Soipan Tuya, and Energy CS Davis Chirchir are also being sued.
In their affidavits, the victims allege that no appropriate action was taken to address the aftermath of the explosion, which destroyed many nearby businesses.
“I went back to check on my business—a chapati vending business which was earning me KES 35,000 monthly—and I found that all my tools of trade were missing. I support my mother and sister financially and I have been unable to support them sufficiently since I lost my tools of trade and I am currently trying to recuperate,” said one victim, Kennedy Kyalo.
The victims are seeking court-ordered compensation for the damages suffered from the incident.
This petition follows weeks after other residents from the same area took legal action against NEMA, the Nairobi City County, the Attorney General, EPRA, Maxxis Nairobi Energy, and the Ministry of Energy. In that case, petitioner Francis Mureithi claimed that these entities failed to perform their duties diligently, thereby exposing the residents of Mradi to the disaster.
