Building of Nairobi’s tallest tower could stall again

 

PHOTO | FILE An artist’s impression of the planned 39-storey building that is set to be constructed at Hazina Trade Centre, Nairobi.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By NATION CORRESPONDENT
Posted  Sunday, July 28  2013 at  21:11

 

Construction of the National Social Security Fund’s skyscraper on Hazina Trade Centre might once again stall until a row on its compliance with the environmental impact assessment is settled.

Plans to build the 39-storey NSSF tower had earlier hit a brick wall due to a tender dispute.

Speaking at the ground-breaking of Garden City last week, Nairobi County Governor Evans Kidero noted that the fund did not factor in human and traffic volume around the area at the moment before starting the construction.

“I have instructed that in the next two weeks, NSSF should present the validation of environmental impact assessment of the tower, within which construction is not allowed at the site,” said Dr Kidero.

He noted that traders who operate in the area have also not been consulted.

According to Dr Kidero, the building was approved in the 1990’s and re-approved in March save for the environmental impact assessment. He instructed the company to provide documents showing the validation before it can be allowed to continue with the construction.

NSSF had applied for approval from the National Environment Management Authority in 2011, a nod which remains in force for two years, but the governor insists that the approval needs to be reviewed.

“We need to ensure that individuals operating within the location of the construction are safe,” said Dr Kidero.