South C MCA Abass Khalif has faulted negligence and oversight lapses by Nairobi City County officials following the collapse of a 16-storey building under construction in South C, Nairobi, and has demanded accountability for the incident.
The building collapsed at dawn on Tuesday, leaving at least one person injured and sparking fears that others may be trapped under the rubble.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) later joined emergency responders in search and rescue efforts at the scene.
In a statement, Khalif termed the incident a devastating tragedy and conveyed his condolences to the victims and their families.
He criticized what he described as serious failures within the Nairobi City County Urban Planning Department, pointing to shortcomings in inspection, enforcement, and development control.
“I have ordered a thorough investigation to establish the exact cause of the collapse, but preliminary findings indicate negligence and oversight failures within the Nairobi City County Urban Planning Department,” Khalif said.
He emphasized that officers in charge of planning, inspection, enforcement, architecture, surveying, and development control are responsible for ensuring strict compliance with building regulations.
Khalif noted that similar incidents have occurred in the past despite repeated warnings about weak approval and enforcement mechanisms within the county.
“This is not the first time such an incident has happened. County officials and the building owners must be held accountable for this tragedy,” he said.
“This must be the last incident and should serve as a lesson. The collapse of a 16-storey building clearly shows that something was fundamentally wrong from the beginning.”
To avert future disasters, the MCA called for a comprehensive review of all approved building plans in South C and tighter monitoring of ongoing construction projects.
