Solai Dam case to finally start after three-year wait

Some of the victims that were affected by the Patel Dam in Solai after it burst its bank on May 9, 2018 [Harun Wathari

The case on Solai dam tragedy where 48 people lost their lives is set to start in the next two weeks at the Naivasha law courts after a three-year wait.

This follows the directive by the High Court to allow victims be represented by lawyer John Chigiti. On May 9, 2018, the dam burst at a private farm in Solai, Nakuru County killing 48, injuring and displacing hundreds and destroying property worth millions of shillings.

But even as the court was issuing directions, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) was under fire for failing to appear in court. Outgoing Naivasha Principal Magistrate Lyna Sarapai directed that the ODPP be served with summons to ensure that a State counsel was present when the case starts. Sarapia decried the period it has taken for the case to start noting that it has affected both the victims and the accused.