Five people have been confirmed dead and four others reported missing following the collapse of a building under construction near Gateway Mall along Mombasa Road.
The incident has once again raised concerns over construction safety and compliance with building regulations in Nairobi, where several buildings have collapsed in recent years, sometimes with devastating consequences.
Rescue teams have been deployed to the scene to search through the rubble for survivors and recover those feared trapped beneath the debris.
The latest incident adds to a growing list of building collapses that have exposed concerns about construction standards, supervision and enforcement of safety regulations in the capital.
The collapse comes less than a month after a similar tragedy in Eastleigh, where a multi-storey building under construction came crashing down along 9th Street on October 23, 2026.
The Eastleigh incident triggered a prolonged search-and-rescue operation involving the Kenya Red Cross, police officers, county emergency teams and other agencies.
The building's ground floor was reportedly occupied by businesses at the time of the collapse, increasing fears over the number of people who could have been caught in the debris.
The National Construction Authority subsequently confirmed that the project had been registered in July 2025.
However, questions emerged over the approvals obtained for the development, with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja saying the building lacked the necessary county construction approvals.
The developer, contractor, architect and structural engineer linked to the project were identified as investigations into the collapse got underway.
The search operation ended on November 6, with eight people confirmed dead, four rescued alive and three others still reported missing by the Kenya Red Cross.
The Eastleigh tragedy followed another major building collapse in South C on January 2, 2026, when a multi-storey structure under construction along Muhoho Avenue collapsed in the early hours of the morning.
The building, initially approved for 12 floors, had reportedly been extended beyond the authorised height. Nairobi County said enforcement teams had flagged the project on several occasions in 2025, including in May, July and December, over construction irregularities.
The National Construction Authority also raised concerns about compliance with construction requirements. Two bodies were subsequently recovered from the debris, while the incident prompted renewed calls for accountability among developers and officials responsible for approving and supervising construction projects.
The successive incidents have intensified scrutiny of Nairobi's construction sector, particularly the enforcement of building regulations, approval procedures and the responsibility of professionals overseeing major developments.
The Senate has also raised concerns over the spate of collapses, calling for investigations into compliance with approved architectural and structural plans, the quality of construction materials and the effectiveness of regulatory agencies.
Authorities are yet to establish the cause of the latest collapse near Gateway Mall, as rescue efforts and investigations continue.
More to follow...
