Eastleigh Building Had County Approval but No Occupation Certificate, Sakaja Says

The multi-storey building that collapsed in Nairobi's Eastleigh neighbourhood had received county construction approval but lacked an occupation certificate, Governor Johnson Sakaja has said, raising questions about the enforcement of building safety regulations.

Sakaja said the ground floor of the unfinished structure was already occupied when the building collapsed on Friday, October 23, 2026, despite the absence of the required certificate. The revelation has shifted scrutiny towards the checks that should govern the transition from construction to occupation, as well as the responsibilities of developers, construction professionals and public officials overseeing building projects.

The building came down at about 1pm along Yusuf Haji Avenue, near Day to Day Supermarket on 9th Street, leaving a large mass of concrete and other debris as emergency teams searched for people feared trapped inside. Police said anyone found criminally responsible would face the law. Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud warned that investigations would examine the building's ownership and the role of those who authorised its construction.

Sakaja also raised concerns about developers who allegedly engage qualified professionals to secure approvals before replacing them with other personnel whose qualifications or adherence to approved plans may be questionable.

He urged professionals who are dismissed after securing approvals for a project to report the matter to the relevant regulatory bodies and county government.

The disaster has renewed concerns about the enforcement of building standards in Nairobi, where rapid development and the construction of multi-storey buildings place significant demands on inspection and regulatory systems. In its 2025 status-of-the-built-environment report, the Architectural Association of Kenya identified six building collapses across Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisii counties, alongside other incidents involving boundary walls and slabs at construction sites. 

As rescue teams worked to reach possible survivors, Sakaja called for stronger enforcement measures and argued that penalties for construction violations were too low to deter non-compliance. He also advocated restoring prosecutorial powers to county governments for building-related offences.