More than 90 families have been forced out of a 10-storey apartment building along Kabiria Road in Riruta, Nairobi, after the county government declared the structure unsafe for occupation.
The evacuation followed an inspection that reportedly revealed serious structural defects, including extensive cracks that raised concerns about the safety of residents.
Some tenants said they had little time to gather their belongings before leaving the building, with several forced to abandon their property inside.
“Some of us were still sleeping when notice came that we should leave the apartment. We left in a hurry with many of our belongings still remaining in the apartment,” one tenant said.
Nairobi City County declared the building dangerous and ruinous on Saturday, October 31, and marked it with red paint to warn residents and members of the public.
In its notice, the county cited violations of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019, and the Building Code, 2024. It stated that the development had been put up without the required planning permissions.
The county ordered the immediate evacuation of all occupants and directed that the entire 10-level building be demolished.
By Sunday, November 1, police officers had been deployed around the premises to secure the building and prevent unauthorised entry.
The evacuation comes as rescue teams continue searching for people believed to be trapped beneath the rubble of an apartment building that collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
The 18-storey building came down on October 23 along 9th Street, off Yusuf Haji Highway, triggering a rescue operation that has continued for more than 10 days.
The National Disaster Management Unit said several survivors had been rescued from the rubble, while one person had been found dead. At least 11 people were still being searched for, according to the report.
