MPs raise concerns over safety of buildings in the country

Redcross personnel search in rubbles for survivors during rescue mission on ilfated Eastleigh buildin on November 2, 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]

Growing concerns over building safety in Nairobi have triggered fresh parliamentary scrutiny, raising questions about regulatory enforcement and the safety of residential and commercial developments.

This follows a 2025 audit report that revealed that 87 per cent of the 396 buildings inspected across the country either failed to meet construction standards or lacked the requisite approvals.

The findings have prompted the Senate to launch an investigation into recurrent building collapses in Nairobi, even as the National Assembly demands expedited investigations into structural cracks that forced the evacuation of tenants from an apartment complex in Riruta Satellite, Dagoretti South Constituency.

The twin interventions have brought renewed attention to possible professional negligence, developers' disregard for approved building plans, weak oversight by regulatory agencies and gaps in the country's construction safety framework.

The Senate Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing, chaired by Senator Hamida Kibwana, is seeking to establish the circumstances behind a series of building collapses reported in Nairobi.

This will include whether developers complied with approved architectural and structural plans, the quality of construction materials and the effectiveness of agencies mandated to enforce building regulations.

In a statement to the Senate on Wednesday, November 4, Kibwana cited several incidents that have raised serious questions about construction safety and accountability.

They include the latest collapse of a multi-storey building under construction along 9th Street in Eastleigh, where ground-floor business premises were reportedly occupied by traders and members of the public when the structure collapsed.

Other incidents include the January collapse of Manzil Towers in South C, where construction reportedly exceeded the approved 12 storeys by four additional floors; the partial collapse of a 22-storey building under construction along School Lane in Westlands; and the March collapse of a building in Blue Estate, Shauri Moyo, during a demolition exercise linked to the Nairobi River Regeneration Project.

"These incidents raise concerns regarding compliance, structural safety and accountability," Kibwana told the Senate.

She noted that the National Building Inspectorate's 2025 audit had also resulted in the emergency demolition of two buildings due to severe structural defects and documented six major building collapses in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisii, including two incidents in Parklands, Nairobi.

"The collapse of any building comes with immeasurable losses to the country including deaths, injuries, disabilities, destruction of livelihoods, psychological trauma and damage to neighbouring properties and public infrastructure," she said.

The Senate probe will also examine the status of more than 300 files involving developments suspected of regulatory violations that Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja told the Committee had been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works has raised fresh concerns following an inspection of an apartment complex in Riruta Satellite, where tenants were evacuated after significant structural cracks were discovered.

Led by Committee Chairperson Joseph Tonui on Thursday, November 5, the lawmakers  conducted a fact-finding mission to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported defects and assess the safety of the premises.

A preliminary report by the National Construction Authority (NCA) established that the development comprises three adjoining blocks, with deep masonry cracks particularly evident in the middle block. Other sections of the complex also exhibited cracks.

The preliminary assessment indicated that the buildings had structural concerns and were unsafe for occupation in their current condition.

"We have come on a fact-finding mission because we received an alert that there is a building which is almost collapsing," Tonui said.

"We have assessed the premises and noted some cracks. We are asking the investigating teams from the various agencies to expedite their investigations so that we can establish the exact cause," he added.

Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie said parliamentary intervention was necessary to prevent a recurrence of past building disasters, while Committee Vice-Chairperson Rindikiri Mugambi stressed that national and county governments shared responsibility for protecting Kenyans.

"We have a corporate responsibility to ensure Kenyans are safe wherever they are," Mugambi said.

The concerns come against the backdrop of rapid urbanisation and growing demand for housing, which have placed increasing pressure on planning and regulatory institutions. Kibwana cited Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data indicating that 31.2 per cent of the country's population lives in urban areas, with an urbanisation rate of 4.4 per cent.