Eastleigh building: Engineer says he quit project months before collapse

Police are investigating how his details were used to register the project with the National Construction Authority (NCA) in 2025, months after he says he had walked away from the construction.

Ninth Street in Eastleigh is slowly returning to normalcy. Excavators have fallen silent, police officers are keeping watch over the site from a distance, while young people scavenge for metal as they sift through the debris.

Ali Abdi stands outside his shop, reflecting on the events of the past two weeks. Fifteen days ago, he was attending to customers at his shop, which also housed a butchery, when the building came crashing down, forcing him to flee for his life.

Now back at his premises, Abdi is trying to pick up the pieces and recover from the losses.

Grateful to have survived a disaster that claimed eight lives, Abdi is now focused on rebuilding his business. However, the incident has left him concerned about whether those responsible for approving and overseeing construction projects are upholding the required standards and regulations.

His concerns are shared by other traders who have since returned to their places of work, hoping to recover from the losses suffered during the disruption.

“Na hizo siku zimekuwa ngumu kwangu kwa sababu niko na watoto kwa nyumba na hiyo siku nilikuwa nimeweka stock ya 10,000 iliharibika,” said Christine Wambua, a trader along Ninth Street.

For Muhidin Abdi, the 15-day interruption has also affected his ability to meet financial obligations, including rent.

“15 days hatukufanya kazi na tunatarajia hata landlord atuongezee muda ili tulipe rent because 15 days hatujafanya kazi,” he said.

Investigations into the building collapse have unearthed further questions about the approvals granted for the project.

The structural engineer listed in the NCA records has denied being in charge of the construction. In his statement to police, he said he disengaged from the project in August 2024 following a disagreement with one of the developers over payment.

His account has raised questions about how his details were subsequently submitted to the NCA to register the project in 2025, months after he claims to have withdrawn from the construction.

Investigators are also examining the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) licence allegedly used to secure approval for the project.

Sources indicate that the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has disputed the authenticity of the licence, saying the number appearing on the document had already been issued to another project in 2021. NEMA officials also suspect that signatures on the document may have been forged.

Meanwhile, autopsies on six bodies recovered on Thursday are expected to be conducted on Monday at the Nairobi Funeral Home.