Industry Leaders Demand End to Impunity After South C Building Collapse
By Peace Muthoka
Shock and grief swept through Nairobi on Tuesday after a building under construction collapsed in South C, killing several people and leaving others injured.
As rescue teams raced against time to pull survivors from the rubble, leading associations in Kenya’s built environment sector broke their silence, describing the tragedy as preventable and deeply troubling. They said the collapse exposed long-standing failures that continue to put lives at risk.
Architects, engineers, planners, surveyors, quantity surveyors and project managers conveyed their condolences to affected families and communities. They said the loss of life reflected a collective breakdown that should have no place in a country with Kenya’s technical skills and professional capacity.
The associations directly challenged the conduct of those involved in the project. They said any architect, engineer or contractor who failed in design, supervision, inspection or ethical duty must be held accountable. Professional titles, they insisted, should never be used as a shield from the law.
They warned that building collapses rarely stem from a single mistake. Instead, they said, failures often run through the entire development chain, from planning and approvals to construction methods, materials, inspection and enforcement. Political interference and corruption, they added, continue to undermine safety standards.
County governments also came under scrutiny. The industry leaders said planning and building control departments must stop treating approvals as revenue streams. They called on all counties to appoint qualified chief architects, engineers, planners, valuers and surveyors to oversee approvals, inspections and quality control.
Developers were singled out for sharp criticism, with the associations warning that impunity has become the norm. They said developers must bear ultimate responsibility for compliance under the National Building Code 2024 and should never walk free when lives are lost.
The statement also revisited Kenya’s troubling history of building collapses. More than 200 buildings have fallen since 1996, yet lessons from past investigations remain largely unimplemented. The associations demanded thorough investigations into the South C collapse and full public disclosure of findings.
They urged authorities to fairly apportion blame, saying counties, regulators, ministries, consultants, contractors and developers must all account for their roles. Failure to punish culpable parties, they warned, only entrenches a dangerous culture of impunity.
Persistent weaknesses in the sector were also highlighted. These include poor governance, political interference, corruption, the involvement of unqualified practitioners, credential renting and weak quality control. Inadequate soil testing and poor construction sequencing, they said, continue to pose serious risks.
To curb future disasters, the associations called for mandatory peer reviews at every stage of building projects. Independent checks from planning to execution, they said, would help detect errors early and save lives.
They also proposed the creation of a national planning information system to track approved projects across all counties. Such a platform, they noted, would improve transparency, coordination and shared learning while respecting devolved planning roles.
Looking ahead, the industry leaders demanded swift action once investigations conclude. They called for a multi-stakeholder task force to examine design, supervision, materials, approvals and enforcement failures.
They further said developers must compensate affected families and subject all their projects to fresh audits. Swift deregistration and prosecution of culpable professionals and firms, they added, must follow.
The associations cautioned regulators against working in silos, warning that turf wars and poor coordination often cost lives. Joint action, information sharing and decisive enforcement, they said, are critical.
The industry leaders described the South C collapse as a national shame. They said the causes are well known and the solutions are clear. What remains lacking, they concluded, is the courage, coordination and commitment needed to stop building collapses once and for all.
