Search and rescue operations by National Disaster Management Unit, Nairobi City County, the National Police Service and the Kenya Red Cross at the site of the collapsed building in South C, Nairobi.
The long-awaited report and anticipated action against those responsible for the collapse of the 16-storey building on Muhoho Avenue in the South C area are still pending.
Besides the South C incident, other cases of collapsed buildings have been reported in the city, leaving 11 people dead and others with serious injuries.
Despite the government's initial show of urgency to act, and the subsequent seven-day ultimatum from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for investigative agencies to conclude the matter, nothing substantive has been done against the developer or the corrupt officials who allowed the building to exceed its approved height.
While the delays have cast doubt on the investigative agencies, locals feel they have been hoodwinked by the government.
For the families of Ali Adan Galgallo and Hassan Bulle Huka, the two security guards who were working in the building when it collapsed, killing them both, justice is moving slowly.
They say that the lack of action will encourage illegal building in the area, thereby endangering people's lives and businesses.
The site of the of collapsed building in South C, Nairobi on January 3, 2026.
On Monday this week, hundreds of South C residents took to the streets, bringing businesses to a standstill as they demanded the arrest of those implicated in the collapse of the building.
The protests brought together community members, local leaders, as well as activists, who called for accountability and stricter enforcement of construction regulations.
In a statement, they demanded the implementation of a number of measures within seven days, which they said would protect the lives of thousands of people in the area as well as surrounding businesses.
Among the demands is the publication of the Multi-Agency Inquiry Report, which the government had said would be released.
The residents have put pressure on Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome to immediately release the findings of the multi-agency team regarding the collapse of the building located on plot 68/1306.
The residents have also demanded a status report on Bridge Port Apartments (LR No. 209/5909/9), which is adjacent to the collapsed building.
“We demand a public safety certification or a demolition order for the adjacent 15-storey building owned by Bridge Port Apartments Limited. This building was approved for 10 floors but stands at 15, with documented structural damage to its pillars,” part of the statement reads.
The locals have called for the prosecution of officials who allowed the developer to disregard the law.
A seven-storey building that collapsed in Kahawa West, Nairobi County on October 20, 2024.
“We demand the names of the specific Nairobi County and NCA officials who failed to follow up on the three enforcement notices issued in 2025. Negligence is a crime; it is time for the ‘burden of illegal approvals’ to be placed on individuals, not just institutions.”
Further, the residents asked the government to blacklist rogue developers and professionals in the city, as well as table the names of developers and professional consultants involved in two projects that have been de-registered and barred from further construction activity in the country.
“We demand a comprehensive audit update. CS Wahome promised a ‘compliance audit of buildings’ to prevent such disasters. We demand a status report on how many buildings have been inspected since January 2026 and how many condemned structures have been successfully evacuated.”
They also want criminal proceedings instituted against the developer and contractor, identified as Abyan Consulting Limited, the Nairobi City County Technical Committee responsible for building approvals, and the county compliance and enforcement teams led by Chief Officer for Urban Planning Patrick Analo.
Mr Analo is also the county official who approved the building. He is among several officials who were summoned and recorded statements at the DCI offices at Lang’ata Police Station.
CS Wahome stated during her visit to the scene of the incident in January that there was glaring evidence raising questions about the state of the building and how it passed the approval processes.
“At the time of the incident, the project was non-compliant, with four additional floors that were never approved. That is the beginning of the problem, and our investigations will start from that point,” CS Wahome stated.
She also announced that all professionals, including architects, contractors, and inspectors who allowed the illegal construction to continue, would be held individually accountable.
City Hall, the headquarters of the Nairobi City County Government.
In a recent interview, DCI officers investigating the matter said they had concluded their work and submitted the report for further action.
National Construction Authority (NCA) CEO Maurice Akech told Nation that the report was at its final stages.
“The report is almost out, and the media will be invited by the Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary at the right time. She will be able to brief the media on the findings and the recommendations,” Mr Akech said, without giving details of the report.
During the same month of January, another building that was under construction, despite being condemned, collapsed, killing two people and leaving seven workers with multiple injuries.
Also Read: Outrage, promises then business as usual: Nairobi’s familiar script after building disasters
Nairobi County claimed the Karen building collapse was caused by structural failure linked to poor workmanship and inadequate formwork, and that the contractor used substandard materials, with timber gum tree supports allegedly used instead of the required steel props to support a double-volume slab.
Once again, despite the county admitting that the developer and structural engineer responsible for the project had been identified, no action or report has been made public since then.
On March 16, another building that had been condemned collapsed in the Shauri Moyo area, killing four people and leaving some with serious injuries.
In April, a building under construction collapsed in the Highrise area of Kibra, killing three people and leaving another six with injuries.
The fatal incident in Kibra brings the total number of people killed in collapsed buildings to 11, with more than 30 left injured. Yet no action has been taken to hold officials accountable.
Last month, four people were killed when a building collapsed in Kericho, raising more questions about building safety.
Professional bodies in the building sector have since expressed frustration with the government and the use of substandard materials in the construction industry. They also say corruption has been a major factor contributing to illegal buildings.
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