City Affairs

Four arrested over Embakasi gas explosion

Police officers walk past heavily damaged houses and shops, a day after a gas explosion in the Embakasi area of Nairobi, on February 2, 2024. (Photo: Luis Tao/ AFP)

By Dennis Tarus | Tuesday, February 6, 2024

The four include the prime suspect and three other NEMA officials who detectives say were found culpable.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives have arrested four suspects linked to last week's Embakasi gas explosion that has so far claimed six lives.

The DCI in a statement on Tuesday said they had in their custody, the prime suspect and three National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) officials who the detectives said were found culpable.

Keep reading

The DCI said they are still pursuing five other suspects linked to the blast.

On Monday, the National Police Service said they had arrested a director at NEMA as it urged those involved in the blast to surrender.

"We are hunting for more suspects, and those who know they are supposed to help in this probe should surrender. We will charge those targeted with murder," Nairobi Police boss Adamson Bungei said.

The move comes after President William Ruto on Saturday called for the dismissal, arrest and prosecution of government officials involved in the issuance of licences to the gas plant in Miradi Area, Embakasi East.

This comes after the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) last Friday confirmed that the illegal gas plant was operating illegally.

Speaking in Kakamega County on Saturday, Ruto said the government officials must be held accountable for allowing an illegal plant to continue operating in a residential area even after its cancelled licence.

“There are people with licenses in the residential areas and they are endangering the lives of ordinary Kenyans. I have told the ministry responsible that all those who were involved in issuing the license where it was not appropriate, should leave work now and be taken to court," he said.

"These people know that they were told they would not be given the license but because of corruption and dishonesty they were issued with a license, they went ahead to operate.”