South C Residents Association demands action after building collapse

The South C Residents Association (SouCRA) has called for urgent action following the collapse of a 16-storey building under construction in the area, saying the incident highlights concerns about regulatory oversight.

In a statement, the Association said it has repeatedly raised concerns over development approvals and enforcement in South C.

“This incident, tragic as it is, was foreseeable and preventable. For several years, the South C Residents Association has formally and repeatedly raised concerns with the Nairobi City County Government,” said Abdulmalik Gichuki, the Association’s chairman and a professional architect.

Gichuki said the issues raised included approvals for developments that may not comply with applicable zoning, density, and height regulations, as well as disregard for building lines, planning standards, and site supervision requirements.

The Association also raised concerns about enforcement practices, noting that site agents and workers are sometimes arrested while developers, financiers, and professional consultants remain largely unaccountable.

It highlighted instances where court proceedings result in the release of site agents while higher-level decision-makers are not charged.

“The collapse witnessed today should be viewed in the context of long-standing regulatory and enforcement challenges,” Gichuki said.

Based on preliminary observations, the Association said the building appears to have collapsed due to structural weakness in its foundation.

“Without prejudice to the findings of any statutory, forensic, or judicial investigation, and based solely on visual observations and available photographic evidence, the manner of failure appears consistent with a progressive structural collapse initiating at or near the lower levels of the building,” Gichuki said.

He explained that the configuration of the debris, including near-horizontal stacking of floor slabs, may indicate a potential loss of load-bearing capacity in structural elements such as columns or shear walls.

He noted that such a loss of capacity could arise from multiple factors, including design, material quality, construction practices, or deviations from approved plans.

“These observations are not findings of fact. They are intended to highlight the need for an independent and comprehensive forensic investigation and to contextualise the Association’s long-standing concerns regarding development control and supervision under the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019,” Gichuki said.

“We call on the Nairobi City County Government, national oversight institutions, and investigative agencies to act decisively, independently, and without fear or favour. No more warnings. No more ignored letters. No more preventable tragedies.”

In a later update, the Nairobi County Government said it immediately deployed emergency and rescue response teams to the scene following the incident.

The county said preliminary assessments indicated the collapse involved a multi-storey building, with two people believed to be trapped in the debris.

“Emergency response and rescue operations are ongoing, supported by equipment from Nairobi City County, the National Youth Service (NYS), the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Disaster Response Battalion and the Nairobi Fire Brigade,” the statement said.

A command centre has been established at the site, with debris removal proceeding alongside search and rescue efforts.

The county further said an adjacent building under construction had been identified as high-risk due to possible structural compromise caused by vibrations and impact from the collapse.

Monitoring equipment has been deployed to assess any movement or instability as rescue operations continue.

The county added that electricity and water utilities are present at the site and that all relevant agencies have been notified and activated. The Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team remains deployed with specialised equipment to support ongoing operations.