Kenya probes building approvals after Eastleigh collapse
Kenyan investigators are examining discrepancies in building approval records following Friday's collapse of a multistory building in Nairobi's Eastleigh neighborhood, raising questions about how the project was authorized and whether construction regulations were followed.
Government spokesman Charles Owino said a construction application had generated an invoice of about 2 million Kenyan shillings ($15,400) that remained unpaid, according to Nairobi City County records.
He said the county had directed the applicants to remove proposed shops from the plans because the building was intended for residential use.
"An invoice was subsequently issued but was never settled," Owino said on Monday.
However, the National Construction Authority, or NCA, said it had approved the project based on documents submitted to it, including an approval attributed to the county government.
Owino said the discrepancy had been referred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, or DCI, for investigation and possible prosecution.
Investigators are expected to establish the authenticity of the documents and how the project secured approval and proceeded to construction.
Owino also said the original property owner had died and his children had taken over the estate. The building was being developed through a joint venture, but he did not identify the partners or explain their respective roles.
Separately, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, or ODPP, has directed the DCI to investigate the collapse and establish whether any actions or omissions by county officials, the developer, contractors or other professionals involved in the planning, approval, supervision and construction contributed to the disaster.
The ODPP said Nairobi City County had not previously submitted an inquiry file concerning alleged wrongdoing in the building's construction for review and directions.
Once the investigation is complete, the DCI is expected to forward its findings to the ODPP for review. The prosecution office said it would take action against anyone found criminally responsible if the evidence supports prosecution.
The investigation is unfolding as rescue teams continue to search the rubble along busy 9th Street in Eastleigh, using excavators and specialized equipment provided by the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Youth Service and Nairobi City County.
The Kenya Red Cross Society on Monday reported that the number of people missing has risen from 31 to 47, while the government stated that half of the debris had been cleared.
The figure is much higher than the initial count of seven given by Kipchumba Murkomen, interior cabinet secretary, on Friday evening after he visited the site.
Kenya Defence Forces on Monday reported that six people had been retrieved from the rubble in a joint effort led by its Urban Search and Rescue teams, a Rapid Response Unit from the Kenya Air Force and a canine unit.
Major General William Kamoiro, the general officer commanding central command, visited the scene to assess the progress of the operation, speak with emergency responders and express solidarity with affected families.
Even as the operation continues, questions about construction oversight have intensified, with engineers warning that gaps in the approval and supervision process could compromise building safety.
Grace Kagondu, honorary secretary of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya, said there could be weaknesses in the approval and supervision process, although the cause of the collapse had yet to be established.
She said engineers hired to design buildings were sometimes excluded from the supervision stage, leaving less-qualified personnel to oversee construction.
"A building of this nature requires careful, step-by-step supervision, from the reinforcement and the concrete used to the method of putting the structure together," Kagondu said.
She stressed that qualified professional engineers should remain involved throughout construction, from the initial design to completion.
