Kenya’s latest building collapse in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood has renewed scrutiny of construction approvals, site supervision and regulatory enforcement, as investigators examine whether failures by developers, construction professionals or public officials contributed to the disaster. The collapse of a multi-storey building on 23 October 2026 has intensified questions about how effectively the country monitors developments from initial approval through construction and occupation, with implications for public safety, housing investment and confidence in the built environment.
On 26 October, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to conduct a thorough inquiry into the Eastleigh collapse, including the conduct of Nairobi City County officials, the developer, contractors and professionals involved in the project. The ODPP said the office had not received an inquiry file from the county concerning possible wrongdoing before issuing the directive, adding that prosecution would follow if sufficient evidence established criminal responsibility. The cause of the collapse has not yet been established.
The incident comes less than a year after another multi-storey building collapsed in Nairobi’s South C area, raising similar questions about compliance with approved designs and the effectiveness of construction oversight. According to the National Construction Authority (NCA), the South C project had been approved for 12 storeys, but investigations found that four additional floors had been constructed beyond the authorised design. The authority said four quality assurance inspections had been conducted during construction, all of which were accepted at the time.
The findings illustrate a central challenge for Kenya’s construction sector: obtaining approvals and conducting inspections does not necessarily guarantee that a completed structure will comply with approved plans. Buildings can change as projects progress, whether through design revisions, additional floors, changes in use or alterations to materials and construction methods. If those changes are not properly assessed and authorised, the safety assumptions underlying the original design may no longer hold.
For Maureen Ochang, President of the Project Management Institute (PMI) Kenya Chapter, the recurring collapses point to weaknesses in project governance as well as the need to investigate the immediate causes of individual incidents. In her assessment, construction safety depends on how effectively developers, financiers, architects, engineers, contractors, project managers and regulators coordinate their responsibilities throughout a project’s lifecycle.
Project management practices can help identify and control risks before they become structural failures. Scope management keeps construction aligned with approved designs, while formal change-control procedures ensure that alterations undergo the necessary technical review. Quality assurance checks materials and workmanship against required specifications, and active risk management provides a mechanism for escalating safety concerns before work proceeds.
These controls are particularly important in fast-growing urban areas, where demand for housing and commercial space places pressure on developers to deliver projects quickly. Commercial incentives to add floors, reduce costs or accelerate construction can conflict with safety requirements if professional oversight and regulatory enforcement are weak. Establishing whether such pressures contributed to a specific collapse, however, requires evidence from the relevant investigations.
The regulatory challenge is complicated by the distribution of responsibilities across public institutions and private professionals. The NCA oversees contractors and construction projects within its mandate, while county governments play a central role in development approvals and local enforcement. Professional bodies regulate architects and engineers, and other agencies may become involved where criminal conduct or wider public safety risks are suspected.
The Eastleigh investigation is examining these different responsibilities. The NCA has identified Stromax Holdings E.A. Limited as the contractor on record and 9th Street Plaza Limited as the developer. The authority has not established that either party was responsible for the collapse, and the investigation remains ongoing. The Engineers Board of Kenya has also opened an inquiry into the factors that may have contributed to the incident and the role of the engineers involved.
The case raises questions about whether information held by different agencies is sufficiently connected to identify non-compliance as it emerges. A project may be registered, inspected and approved at different stages, but oversight can become less effective if changes made on site are not promptly reflected in regulatory records or if responsibility for acting on violations is unclear.
Ochang argues that Kenya should strengthen end-to-end compliance monitoring by maintaining verifiable records of approved designs, authorised changes, inspection findings, corrective actions and occupancy clearance. Digital records could make it easier for regulators to compare approved plans with construction progress and identify discrepancies. Their effectiveness would still depend on accurate reporting, timely inspections and authorities having the capacity to intervene when violations are detected.
Risk management also needs to remain active throughout construction rather than being treated as a document prepared at the start of a project. Structural concerns, poor workmanship or deviations from approved plans require clear escalation procedures and prompt technical assessment. Where authorities determine that a site presents a serious safety risk, enforcement measures, including suspension of work where legally required, can prevent construction from continuing before the problem is resolved.
Professional accountability is another part of the equation. Developers must ensure that projects are delivered within approved parameters, contractors must follow authorised designs, and engineers and architects must fulfil their technical and professional obligations. Regulators, in turn, need sufficient resources and independence to inspect developments and enforce standards. Where investigations establish negligence, misconduct or other breaches, disciplinary or legal action should follow the applicable procedures.
The economic implications extend beyond individual construction sites. Buildings represent substantial investments by households, businesses, lenders and developers. A structural failure can destroy property, interrupt commercial activity, displace residents and impose additional costs on emergency services and public authorities. Where safety concerns undermine confidence in construction approvals, developers who comply with the rules may also face an uneven competitive environment against those who avoid compliance costs.
For Kenya and other rapidly urbanising African economies, construction governance is therefore closely linked to sustainable development. Safe housing, schools, hospitals and commercial buildings are essential infrastructure, and their value depends not only on whether they are completed on time and within budget but also on whether they remain safe for occupants. Weak enforcement can transfer the costs of poor project decisions to workers, residents, neighbouring businesses and the public.
The South C case has already prompted the government to consider measures addressing the construction of additional floors beyond approved designs and a wider review of building compliance. The Eastleigh investigation now provides another test of whether authorities can establish the facts, determine responsibility and translate findings into changes in oversight.
For Ochang, the objective should be a construction culture in which safety is treated as a core measure of project performance rather than a requirement to be satisfied on paper. That means stronger coordination across the project delivery chain, clear records of decisions and design changes, continuous risk assessment and credible consequences for proven violations.
Kenya’s ability to expand its housing stock and urban infrastructure will depend partly on the reliability of the institutions governing construction. Investigations into individual collapses can establish what went wrong at particular sites, but lasting improvements will require regulators and professional bodies to act on the evidence, close gaps between approval and enforcement, and demonstrate that compliance is maintained throughout a building’s life cycle.
