Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Oginga has called for a thorough investigation into the collapse of an 18-storey building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, blaming regulatory failures and greed for putting lives at risk.
Oburu said those responsible for compromising construction standards must be held accountable, as rescue teams continued searching for people feared trapped beneath the rubble.
“I am deeply pained by the tragedy of the collapsed 18-storey building in Kamkunji. This disaster is a stark reminder of the devastating human cost of regulatory failure and greed,” he said.
The ODM leader expressed sympathy with affected families and commended emergency responders working at the scene.
“While we demand full accountability, we deeply empathise with the families that have lost loved ones, and we commend the relentless work being done by the rescue teams from our different agencies on the ground,” he said.
Oburu called for stricter verification of buildings before tenants occupy them, urging prospective occupants to ensure structures have met safety and occupation requirements.
“First, tenant verification: before moving into any building, tenants must verify that it has officially passed all safety and occupation compliance checks. No one should risk their life because corners were cut,” he said.
He also criticised developers and contractors who compromise structural integrity in pursuit of profits, and called for regulatory authorities to be held responsible for failing to enforce construction standards.
“We demand a thorough investigation and strict legal action against all culpable parties. Lives must always come before profit,” he said.
The building collapsed along 9th Street in Eastleigh on October 23 while it was still under construction. Nairobi City County said the ground floor was occupied at the time of the incident.
The National Construction Authority confirmed that the project had been registered on July 30, 2025, and said its records identified the developer, contractor, architect and structural engineer involved.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the building had not complied with construction guidelines and pledged legal action against those responsible.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has since directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to investigate the planning, approval, supervision and construction of the building to establish whether criminal wrongdoing occurred.
The Engineers Board of Kenya has also launched investigations into the collapse, including the role of engineers involved in the project.
The incident has renewed scrutiny of construction approvals and enforcement of building regulations in Nairobi, with calls for investigations to establish how the structure was allowed to proceed and who should bear responsibility.
Rescue operations continued into Monday, October 26, with emergency teams searching the rubble for possible survivors.
