The National Construction Authority (NCA) has named the developer, contractor, architect and structural engineer listed in its records for the building that collapsed along 9th Street in Eastleigh, Nairobi, as investigations begin into the incident.
In a statement issued on Friday, October 23, 2026, the construction regulator identified 9th Street Plaza Limited as the developer and Stromax Holdings E.A Limited as the contractor for the proposed development in Kamukunji Sub-County.
The authority also named the architect and structural engineer associated with the project, providing details that could help establish the professionals and companies officially linked to the development.
However, the NCA did not establish what caused the building to collapse or attribute responsibility to any of the parties named in its statement.
The disclosure comes as rescue operations continue and questions emerge over construction safety, regulatory enforcement and compliance with building approval requirements in Nairobi.
Who is the developer of the collapsed Eastleigh building?
According to the NCA, 9th Street Plaza Limited was listed as the developer of the building that collapsed along 9th Street in Eastleigh.
The project was registered with the authority on July 30, 2025, as a proposed development on Land Reference Number 36/11/40 in Nairobi County.
The development was assigned registration number 53128815710410.
The NCA’s records identify the company as the developer, but its statement does not establish whether the project complied with all applicable construction regulations or whether any violations occurred.
Which contractor was responsible for the Eastleigh building project?
The NCA identified Stromax Holdings E.A Limited as the contractor listed for the proposed development.
The company was recorded under registration number 41669/B/0618, according to the statement signed by Susan Rutto, the NCA’s Acting Executive Director and Registrar of Contractors.
The disclosure identifies the contractor associated with the project in the regulator’s records. It does not, however, establish whether construction work complied with approved plans, building standards or other applicable requirements.
Those issues remain subject to investigation.
Who were the architect and structural engineer?
The regulator also named two professionals listed against the development.
The details provided by the NCA are:
- Developer: 9th Street Plaza Limited
- Contractor: Stromax Holdings E.A Limited
- Project architect: Architect Emmanuel Mwangi Maina, registration number A2045
- Structural engineer: Engineer Joseph Muturi Mugu, registration number A2750
The names and registration details were included in the official statement issued by the authority.
While the records identify the professionals associated with the proposed development, the statement does not establish whether either professional contributed to the collapse or whether their work complied with the applicable technical and regulatory requirements.
Investigators will need to establish the circumstances surrounding the failure before any conclusions can be drawn about the roles or responsibilities of those involved.
NCA coordinates rescue operations and preliminary investigations
Following the collapse, the NCA said a multi-agency team had been deployed to coordinate rescue operations and conduct preliminary investigations.
The authority confirmed that the affected site had been cordoned off, with public safety identified as the immediate priority.
“The immediate priority is the safety of the public,” the regulator said.
The NCA did not provide a confirmed casualty toll, state how many people might have been trapped beneath the debris or disclose detailed findings on the cause of the collapse.
It also did not specify when the preliminary investigations would be completed.
The authority said further information on rescue operations, the condition of the site and the actions being undertaken by the multi-agency team would be communicated as the operation progressed.
Residents, traders and members of the public were warned to keep away from the affected site and other cordoned-off areas to allow emergency responders to carry out their work.
Sakaja questions enforcement of Nairobi building regulations
The collapse has renewed scrutiny of construction safety and the enforcement of building regulations in Nairobi.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja blamed weak enforcement and lenient penalties for encouraging illegal construction practices, arguing that the existing fines were insufficient to deter developers who violate the law.
Speaking at the scene on Friday, October 23, 2026, Sakaja questioned the effectiveness of a Ksh5,000 fine for construction-related offences.
“When you enforce, you find a fine of Ksh5,000. And that does not deter anyone from continuing with an illegality,” he said.
The governor called for counties to regain stronger powers to deal with developers who flout construction regulations.
He added that the county government had written to the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking authority for county city courts to handle relevant cases.
His remarks placed the focus on whether existing enforcement mechanisms and penalties are adequate to prevent unsafe construction and hold those responsible for violations accountable.
Sakaja also said the collapsed building had received construction approval but did not have an occupation certificate.
According to the governor, people on the ground floor were also operating without temporary occupation authorisation.
He stressed that construction approval alone does not permit a building to be occupied without the required authorisation.
“Before anybody gets an occupation certificate, you’re not allowed to get into that property. At all. Even on a temporary basis. That is not allowed,” Sakaja said.
The governor said the stages followed during construction needed to be examined, pointing to the difference between receiving approval to build and meeting the requirements for occupation.
The claims raise questions about the building’s approval and occupation status. However, the NCA statement did not independently confirm the governor’s assertions or provide a detailed account of the project’s compliance history.
Further investigations will be needed to establish whether the relevant approvals and safety requirements were met and whether any breaches contributed to the collapse.
The investigation
Although the NCA has identified the developer, contractor, architect and structural engineer listed in its records, the circumstances that led to the collapse remain unclear.
The authority has not assigned responsibility to any of the named parties, and its statement does not establish whether the incident resulted from structural failure, construction defects, regulatory breaches or other factors.
Investigators will need to establish the cause of the collapse and examine the project’s construction history, compliance with approved plans and relevant safety requirements.
The findings could help determine whether any regulatory or professional failures occurred and what action, if any, should follow.
For now, the NCA says its immediate focus remains on public safety, rescue operations and preliminary investigations as authorities work to establish what happened along 9th Street in Eastleigh.
