South C residents protest over safety of buildings

Residents of South C  staged a peaceful demonstration on Monday following the tragic collapse of a residential building earlier this year along Muhoho Avenue.

The protest, which culminated at Uhuru Park, brought together community members, local leaders and activists demanding accountability and stricter enforcement of construction regulations.

Residents warned that another building in the area is at risk of collapsing, urging relevant authorities to intervene immediately to avert a potential disaster.

Organizers of the demonstration called for thorough investigations into the earlier incident, pressing authorities to take swift action against those found responsible.

They also urged government agencies to strengthen oversight mechanisms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

“Our demands to the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Alice Wahome. In light of the Ministry’s failure to provide updates, we hereby demand the following within seven (7) days: Publication of the Multi-Agency Inquiry Report. The CS must immediately release the findings of the multi-agency team (NCA, NBI, BORAQS, and EBK) regarding the collapse of Plot 68/1306. 2. Status report on Bridge Port Apartments (LR No. 209/5909/9),” A statement signed by the chairman of the South C Residents Association Abdi Karim Hassan reads in part.

The South C Residents Association, which spearheaded the protest, insisted that the safety of residents must be treated as a priority rather than an afterthought.

Further, the residents are demanding a public safety certification or a demolition order for the adjacent 15-storey building owned by Bridge Port Apartments Limited.

“This building was approved for 10 floors but stands at 15, with documented structural damage to its pillars,” the statement adds in part. 

A joint assessment by the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) and the NCA previously pointed to professional negligence and disregard for regulations as key factors behind the collapse.

The association has also called for criminal proceedings against all those involved in the project, including the developer, Abyan Consulting Limited, county officials responsible for approvals and enforcement, and professional consultants such as architects and engineers.

Letters have already been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Mulele Ingonga and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja Kirocho, urging immediate legal action.

The residents are demanding that criminal proceedings be initiated against the developer and contractor (identified as Abyan Consulting Limited).

The Nairobi City County Technical Committee, responsible for building approvals, County compliance and enforcement teams, led by Patrick Analo, who is the Urban Planning and Development Chief Officer, was supposed to oversee the project and the professional consultants on record.

Residents further accused enforcement agencies of fostering a “culture of impunity,” citing multiple enforcement notices issued in 2025 that failed to halt the illegal construction. 

They also alleged that some enforcement officers faced intimidation and attacks, while arrested site agents were quickly released and allowed to resume work.

Among their key demands is the blacklisting of rogue developers and professionals, as well as a comprehensive update on the nationwide building compliance audit promised by the government.

The protest comes amid broader concerns about building safety in Nairobi. Industry professionals, including members of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya, have warned that a significant number of buildings in the city may be structurally unsound, underscoring the urgency of reforms in the construction sector.

In January this year, professionals within the building and construction industry painted a grim picture of the state of buildings in the country, revealing that over 85% of buildings within Nairobi City are unsafe for occupation.

In their address to the nation about a week after the collapse of the 16-storey building in South C,  the professionals, drawn from the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), The Architects Alliance (TAA) and the Kenya Institute of Planners (KIP), among others, called for immediate action against those who were central to the approvals of the construction of the building.