Operations at Ardhi House were temporarily disrupted Monday after members of the South C Residents Association staged a protest, piling pressure on Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome to act on a deadly building collapse earlier this year.
The demonstrators accused authorities of inaction months after a 16-storey building under construction along Muhoho Avenue in South C caved in, killing two people. Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the residents demanded accountability and urgent safety interventions.
At the centre of their grievances is the government’s failure to release findings of a multi-agency probe into the collapse. The inquiry involved key bodies, including the National Construction Authority, National Building Inspectorate, Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors, and Engineers Board of Kenya.
In a statement signed by association chairman Abdi Karim Hassan, the group issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding publication of the inquiry report into the collapsed structure on Plot 68/1306. They also want a status update on the nearby Bridge Port Apartments, which they claim poses a serious safety risk.
Residents allege that the adjacent 15-storey building—reportedly approved for only 10 floors—suffered structural damage during the collapse and continues to violate approved plans. They are now calling for either an immediate demolition order or a public safety certification to avert another संभावный tragedy.
“We are living next to a ticking time bomb,” one protester said, reflecting widespread fears among residents.
The association further urged authorities to institute criminal proceedings against all parties linked to the project, including the developer, county officials involved in approvals and enforcement, and professional consultants.
Letters have already been sent to Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Mulele Ingonga and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja seeking swift legal action.
The residents also accused enforcement agencies of enabling a “culture of impunity,” alleging that previous enforcement notices issued in 2025 failed to stop the illegal construction. They claimed some officers faced intimidation, while arrested site agents were quickly released and allowed to resume work.
The protest comes amid growing concern over building safety across Nairobi, with professionals warning that a number of structures in the city could be structurally unsound.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has attributed delays in concluding the probe to the complexity of the case. The agency said investigations span the entire lifecycle of the building—from approvals and inspections to construction and structural integrity assessments—and rely on reports from multiple institutions.
The explanation follows pressure from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which has faulted investigators for taking months without submitting a case file.
Despite the delays, the DCI maintains that the investigation is active and progressing, assuring the public that a final report will be submitted once all technical processes are complete.
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