At least three people have been confirmed dead and several others remain missing after a building collapsed in the Highrise area of Kibera, Nairobi, in a tragic incident that has renewed scrutiny over construction safety in Kenya’s capital.
The building, which was reportedly under construction, caved in on Wednesday, April 8, at around 2 pm, trapping an unknown number of people beneath the debris. Emergency response teams, led by the Kenya Red Cross Society, were quickly deployed and continue to conduct search and rescue operations at the site.
“A building collapse has been reported in the Highrise area of Kibera. Emergency response teams are currently on site conducting search and rescue operations,” the agency said in a statement.
Nairobi Chief County Officer for Disaster Management Bramwel Simiyu confirmed the fatalities, noting that the bodies recovered were those of three middle-aged men. He also revealed that six people had been rescued from the rubble and rushed to Mbagathi Hospital for treatment.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as residents joined emergency teams in efforts to clear debris and rescue those believed to be inside the structure.
The collapse adds to a growing list of similar incidents across Nairobi, particularly involving buildings under construction. In March 2026, a 22-storey building in Westlands collapsed, killing one person and injuring several others. Earlier in January, another under-construction building in South C collapsed, leaving two people dead.
Experts have consistently warned about the rising frequency of such tragedies. The Institute of Engineers of Kenya has attributed many of the collapses to poor construction practices, developer negligence, and weak enforcement of building regulations.
Speaking previously during World Engineering Day, the institution’s Vice President Harrison Keter emphasized that while some engineers may be implicated, the bulk of responsibility lies with developers who fail to adhere to approved standards.
Authorities have since cordoned off the area to facilitate rescue operations and prevent further risk to the public, while police and disaster teams continue to assess the situation.
As rescue efforts continue, families anxiously await news of their loved ones, while pressure mounts on authorities to enforce stricter building regulations and prevent further loss of life.
