Sakaja Wants Architect, Engineer and Planner Probed Over Eastleigh Building Collapse

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 24 – Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has called for investigations into an architect, engineer and physical planner linked to the 12-storey building that collapsed in Eastleigh, saying construction proceeded without approved building plans.

Sakaja urged professional bodies representing architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and builders to investigate their members and establish whether they complied with professional standards and construction regulations.

Speaking on the second day of multi-agency search-and-rescue operations at the site, the Governor said Nairobi City County records showed that the only approval granted for the development was a change of use from residential to commercial-cum-residential.

The county approved the change of use on October 17, 2024, following an application by physical planner Nathan Mutunga Kiiti, registration number 0274.

However, architectural plans submitted on November 20, 2024, by architect Emmanuel Mwangi Maina, registration number A2045, were not approved by the county.

The civil and structural engineering submission was made under Precise Civil Engineering Ltd, while Stromax Holdings E.A. Limited was listed as the contractor. Maina was identified as the project architect, with engineer Joseph Mutturi Mugu named as the project structural engineer.

Sakaja said the distinction between the change-of-use approval and the unapproved construction plans was critical in determining accountability for the collapse.

“The professionals whose details were used in the development process have a responsibility to ensure that construction complies with approved plans, building regulations and safety standards,” Sakaja said.

He described the incident as a case of “total impunity” and called on the relevant professional bodies to establish whether their members fulfilled their obligations and take disciplinary action against anyone found culpable.

The Governor said the county had forwarded its report to relevant authorities, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), for further investigations.

He added that the county had taken enforcement action on several occasions after detecting unauthorised construction at the site.

The collapse has renewed scrutiny of building approvals, professional oversight and enforcement of construction regulations in Nairobi, particularly the responsibility of professionals involved in developments to ensure that work complies with approved plans.

Sakaja also renewed his call for county governments to regain prosecutorial powers, arguing that stronger enforcement mechanisms and effective penalties would help deter developers and professionals who violate building regulations.

Multi-agency teams continued rescue operations and debris clearance at the site on 9th Street in Eastleigh, Kamukunji Sub-County, as authorities worked to reach anyone who may still be trapped beneath the rubble.

Investigations are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine individual responsibility, including whether any professional or regulatory breaches occurred.