Mtetezi Movement Blames Nairobi City County Governance Failures for Nairobi Building Collapses

 

By James Mutua 

Mtetezi Grassroots Economic Justice Movement has faulted systemic governance failures for the rising cases of building collapses in Nairobi, following the latest incident in Westlands that left at least one worker dead and several others trapped or rescued.

Addressing the press on Saturday at the site where a building under construction along School Lane in Westlands, identified as Lumiere, partially collapsed, the movement expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with victims and affected families, warning that the incidents are not isolated accidents but part of a recurring pattern driven by weak regulation, impunity and ignored safety warnings.

Mtetezi said the repeated tragedies point to deeper failures within Nairobi’s planning and construction systems, including manipulation of site conditions, irregular approvals and weak enforcement of regulations.

The group highlighted widespread zoning violations and unlawful densification, warning that such practices put excessive pressure on land, infrastructure and safety systems. It also cited breaches of key requirements such as setbacks, ventilation and public health standards.

According to the movement, enforcement remains the most critical failure, noting that construction often continues despite stop orders and official warnings.

“A stop order that does not stop anything is not enforcement,” the statement said.

The organization is now calling for immediate accountability from authorities, urging Johnson Sakaja to release approval, inspection and enforcement records for buildings linked to recent collapses.

It also called on regulatory bodies including the National Construction Authority, Engineers Board of Kenya and Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors to identify professionals involved and outline disciplinary measures taken.

Further, Mtetezi urged investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission into possible corruption, negligence and unlawful approvals in the sector.

The movement also called on Parliament, the Senate and the Nairobi County Assembly to hold urgent public hearings, describing the situation as a national urban safety crisis.

Mtetezi said that the collapses are not merely structural failures but institutional ones.

“Buildings do not collapse only because concrete is weak. Buildings collapse because institutions are weak,” the statement said.

The group reiterated its support for victims, workers and residents living near unsafe developments, calling for decisive action to end the cycle of preventable disasters.

The Westlands collapse occurred just days after another fatal incident in Shauri Moyo on March 16 that claimed four lives. Similar collapses have also been reported in South C and Karen earlier this year.

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