A 16-storey building under construction collapsed early Friday morning in Nairobi’s South C estate, trapping an unknown number of people and renewing sharp scrutiny over construction safety and regulatory enforcement in the capital.
The incident occurred at around 4:00 a.m. along Muhoho Avenue (also referred to as Muhoho Road), when the structure gave way without warning. Initial reports were conflicting, but authorities later indicated that at least two people, believed to be security guards, were possibly caught in the collapse.
Rescue operations were immediately mounted by a multi-agency team comprising the Kenya Red Cross, the National Disaster Management Unit (NMDU), the National Police Service and other emergency responders. However, the operations were temporarily suspended after engineers raised concerns about the stability of a neighbouring 14-storey building whose pillars were reportedly damaged by the collapse.
National Disaster Management Director William Sifuna confirmed that the adjacent structure posed a serious risk, forcing the evacuation of surrounding buildings. Assistant Inspector General of Police Dr. Dancun Ochieng’ also acknowledged the suspension, stating that “the adjacent building was also affected because its pillars were knocked.”
Further revelations have intensified public outrage. Nairobi City County confirmed that the collapsed building had previously been flagged for multiple infractions, with enforcement actions issued in May, July and December 2025. “The site has been subject to enforcement action by the Nairobi City County Government on varying dates… over a number of infractions,” City Hall stated.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino alleged that county approval documents show the building was only authorised for 12 floors, not 16, linking the collapse to weak oversight and alleged corruption.
Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, termed the incident “tragic and unacceptable” and called for the immediate suspension of all construction activities in South C and Nairobi West pending comprehensive safety audits.
Authorities are now seeking the building’s owner and contractor as investigations continue, amid growing calls for accountability and stricter enforcement of building regulations in Nairobi.
