The government has warned engineers, quantity surveyors, building supervisors and other construction professionals of legal and disciplinary action if found culpable in the collapse of a building in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said authorities would conduct thorough investigations to establish the cause of the collapse and hold those responsible accountable.
Speaking during a press briefing at the scene on Friday, October 23, 2026, Murkomen said the immediate priority was rescuing people believed to be trapped in the rubble, adding that investigations would follow to determine whether criminal negligence or professional misconduct contributed to the incident.
“Those who will be found liable must meet the full force of the law,” Murkomen said.
He cautioned against speculation about the cause of the collapse before investigators establish the facts, noting that the government would follow due legal procedures in determining responsibility.
“I don’t want to be speculative because you never know exactly what caused this unless it is properly investigated,” he said.
Engineers, Quantity Surveyors face scrutiny
Murkomen singled out engineers, quantity surveyors, construction supervisors and professionals involved in building technology, saying they had a responsibility to protect lives by ensuring construction projects meet the required standards.
“Professionals, engineers, quantity surveyors, supervisors of buildings, people dealing with building technology, they must understand that they have a duty to protect the citizens of this country,” he said.
The CS warned that corruption, shortcuts and the pursuit of quick profits at the expense of safety could have fatal consequences.
“The shortcuts are not going to help us as a country. Corruption is not going to help us as a country. Quick money is not going to help us as a country. It can cost our nation and cost lives,” Murkomen said.
He called on relevant national and county government departments to reassess buildings across the country to establish whether they comply with safety requirements.
Murkomen also warned professionals who knowingly approve substandard buildings that they could face disciplinary action if investigations establish their culpability.
He said those found responsible could be barred from practising in Kenya, depending on the applicable professional and legal procedures.
Govt calls for fresh building assessments
The Cabinet Secretary urged national and county authorities to take responsibility for enforcing building safety standards, warning that professionals who issue approvals for unsafe structures must also be held accountable.
He further called on prosecutors and courts to ensure that cases involving construction-related wrongdoing are handled firmly to deter future violations.
“We need everybody to take responsibility, and we need also the courts to become very firm, and the prosecution to take up their work very seriously when prosecuting such cases,” he said.
Murkomen said Kenya should not continue experiencing similar disasters without meaningful changes in enforcement and professional accountability.
The government has yet to establish the cause of the Eastleigh building collapse. Any criminal or professional liability will depend on the findings of the investigations.
Authorities have maintained that rescue operations remain the immediate priority, with investigations expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine whether any individuals or institutions should be held accountable.
