Kenya Collapse Leaves 7 Missing Amid Rapid Construction Boom

Key summary

Kenyan Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen stated that rescue teams are searching for seven people missing after a high-rise building under construction collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on Friday (October 23). The 16-story structure fell in the densely populated business and residential district. Murkomen reported via X that 11 shops located on the ground and basement floors were occupied at the time of the collapse. Of the 67 workers present, 66 survived without injury while one was injured. Police had previously rescued a woman from the rubble and heard another victim. Bibije Mahmood, president of the Institute of Engineers of Kenya, told AFP that contractors and engineers often fail to ensure work is done by experts, calling the disaster avoidable. A National Building Control Office report found 87% of inspected buildings nationwide last year lacked necessary approvals or standards. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja noted the building had no occupancy permit. Vice President John Ogallo of the Institute of Engineers reported warning signs including cracks before the collapse. Construction output in Nairobi rose from 20,025 units in 2022 to 25,090 last year according to city statistics. Local media reported looting began around noon following the collapse, and police used tear gas to disperse crowds. Between 2009 and 2019, 86 building collapses in Nairobi caused approximately 200 deaths, with corruption enabling contractors to cut costs or bypass regulations.