On the morning of January 2, 2026, a multi-storey building under construction in South C, Nairobi, came crashing down-crushing not just concrete and steel, but the confidence of countless residents in Kenya’s urban development system. Two lives have already been claimed; countless others are traumatized, and left questioning how this could happen in a city striving for modernity.
This was not merely a construction accident. It was a predictable calamity born of systemic neglect. Preliminary reporting suggests this building exceeded its approved design, adding floors without proper supervision or accountability. That is not innovation – it’s recklessness. Worse still, indications of bribery, lax inspections, and uncoordinated permits have emerged from the rubble. These are not isolated missteps. They are symptoms of a regulatory ecosystem that has failed its citizens.
For years, Nairobi has struggled to balance rapid development with safe growth. Permits are issued on goodwill; inspections are announced in advance; deviations from approved plans are ignored until they become tragedies.
Countless residents living near high-density developments have voiced concerns about safety, infrastructure strain, and noise. These warnings are too often dismissed – not because developers are monsters, but because our systems incentivize expediency over safety.
Blaming the developer is easy. Holding the system accountable is where the challenge lies. Yes, the developer cut corners and must be condemned in equal measure. Yes, structural rules were flouted. But the collapse was enabled by a regulatory safety net that is full of holes: Weak enforcement at County Hall; Insufficient professional oversight; and Politicized approvals that reward connected projects.
Nairobi’s County Government has been singled out by the national government and investigations have been ordered so that specific individuals who are culpable can be dealt with. These are necessary steps – but they are not sufficient without structural reform. This is not the first collapse Nairobi has seen, and sadly, it will not be the last if the status quo persists. We have previously witnessed the loss of life from similar structural failures – yet the recommendations after those tragedies were abandoned, shelved, or diluted. We cannot afford another cycle of shock, mourning, inquiry, and forgetfulness.
What Must Happen Next?
First, accountability must be real and swift. Not mere headlines, but prosecutions where evidence supports them. Not scapegoats, but those who enabled unsafe construction – including professionals and permitting officials.
Second, we need real transparency in the approvals process: digital permit tracking; independent inspections; open records accessible to citizens and watchdogs as well as consistent and effective enforcement of development laws.
Third, Resident Associations must be recognized as partners in urban safety – not nuisances. The Associations are not anti-development, they just want things done right to prevent the kind of tragedy that occurred in South C and to ensure that we have sustainable urban areas.
Finally, a cultural shift is needed: from “build fast and sort problems later” to “build right the first time.”
Henry Ochieng is the Chief Executive Officer of The Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations (KARA).