Authorities Set to Demolish Five-Storey Building in Nairobi

The government has directed that a five-storey residential block in Roysambu, Nairobi, be brought down after a multi-agency inspection determined the structure threatens public safety.

Officials said the decision followed the discovery of extensive structural damage that could endanger thousands of residents and passersby.

A joint assessment conducted by the National Construction Authority, the National Disaster Management Department, and the Nairobi Urban Planning Department concluded on Thursday that the building had deteriorated to a critical state.

The inspectors noted that there were large fissures on key load-bearing parts of the building, expressing concern that the integrity of such a structure had been severely compromised.

The danger posed by this building was compounded by its location near Mirema Primary School, a learning institution that receives thousands of pupils on a daily basis.

The authorities noted that this block is situated a short distance from the school compound, and there were fears of what could happen to the pupils in the event of a failure in this building.

Officials Cite Imminent Threat

Addressing journalists at the site, Nairobi City County Director of Planning and Enforcement Tom Ochar said engineers had confirmed the risk of collapse.

“We are here at Mirema Drive next to Mirema School, where a five-storey building is on the verge of collapse. After assessing the situation on the ground, we have resolved to bring it down because it is a disaster waiting to happen,” said Ochar.

He disclosed that the property owner had previously been instructed to undertake remedial works but did not comply.

“We gave the owner sufficient time since 2022 to make the building safe, but no corrective action was taken. Today, we have jointly assessed the situation and determined the type of machinery required, and we will proceed with the demolition.”

According to Ochar, the county government issued multiple enforcement and compliance notices over the past three years before arriving at the demolition order.

He emphasized that the process adhered to statutory requirements and technical evaluations.

Also Read: Billboard and Wayleave Owners Face Demolition Threat in KeNHA 14-Day Notice

Scrutiny Over Building Safety

This development comes against the backdrop of growing concern leveled against the County Government of Nairobi for failing to enforce safety standards on buildings.

The city has experienced a series of building collapses in the past few weeks.

On February 11, a building under construction near the OTC area along Kirinyaga Road in the Central Business District partially collapsed when workers were present.

Rescue teams comprising the Nairobi City County Emergency Brigade, the National Disaster Operations Centre, police, and the Kenya Red Cross Society successfully rescued all 18 workers in the building.

Six of the workers suffered injuries.

Also Read: Sakaja Reveals Engineers Behind Karen Building Collapse, Explains Possible Causes

Earlier in January, two fatal collapses further underscored systemic concerns.

On January 2, a multi-storey structure in South C crumbled in what engineers described as a pancake-style failure, killing at least two people and triggering a county-wide audit of high-risk buildings.

Investigators later established that the development did not meet prescribed construction standards despite earlier enforcement efforts.

Eight days later, another tragedy struck in Karen when a residential building caved in during concrete works.

Two workers lost their lives, and several others were injured.

The preliminary investigation results thus far have indicated a connection between the causes of this event to suspected formwork failure and potential failure to register with the appropriate construction agencies.

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Kenya Red Cross said the building collapsed on the morning of Friday, January 2, in the Shopping Centre area of South C, Nairobi County. PHOTO/Kenya Red Cross.