Eastleigh Building Collapse: Body of Woman Recovered as 15 Remain Missing

A heated political feud and trader protests have overshadowed the ongoing rescue operation in Eastleigh, where search teams retrieved the body of a woman from the basement of a collapsed building early on Friday morning.

The recovery at 6am on Friday, October 30, marks the latest development in the eight-day search along Yusuf Haji Avenue. At least 15 people remain missing beneath the debris.

The tragedy has triggered a high-stakes dispute between Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino over the building's approvals. Governor Sakaja has threatened legal action against the lawmaker over social media posts linking him to the development's clearance. 

Owino rejected the demand, saying he would not apologise for raising questions about county oversight and public safety.

While political tension rises, anger is mounting on the ground. Hundreds of Kamukunji traders staged protests on Thursday after receiving eviction notices. 

Authorities issued the warnings after assessing that the collapse may have compromised surrounding structures, including the Kamukunji Business Centre. Meanwhile, homicide and fraud investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have begun questioning several individuals, including Nairobi County officials and one of the building’s owners, to determine if construction regulations were breached.

The National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU), working alongside the Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Red Cross, county officials, and police, continues to clear tons of rubble using heavy excavators and trucks.

On Wednesday, October 28, NDMU Director Duncan Ochieng reported that 16 people were missing. Investigators used mobile phone signals to trace nine of the missing individuals to the site. Officials are awaiting data on four others and confirmation from families regarding three additional contacts.

Hope briefly flared on Tuesday evening when specialized equipment operated by Chinese experts detected two people believed to be alive. Search teams have been using thermal imaging, acoustic sensors, and ground-penetrating radar to locate remaining survivors.

Anxious relatives remain gathered at the scene near Day to Day Supermarket, waiting for news as the operation enters its second week.