A legal challenge has been filed seeking to remove Maurice Akech from his position as executive director of the National Construction Authority, citing alleged negligence that contributed to fatal building collapses in Nairobi.
Rights activist Francis Awino claims Akech is unfit for office, pointing to alleged incompetence, failure to enforce construction regulations, and disregard of repeated warnings to developers.
The petition focuses on the collapse of a 12-storey mixed-use building under construction in South C, Nairobi, on January 2, 2026. The project, developed by Abyan Consulting Limited, left at least two people trapped and one injured.
Awino’s court documents indicate that Nairobi City County and the NCA investigations found several violations, including missing approved structural designs, skipped mandatory inspections, and the absence of required geotechnical assessments before work began.
Awino adds that construction exceeded approved floor limits and proceeded without supervision from a structural engineer.
“The building was non-compliant at the time of collapse,” Awino says in his affidavit, highlighting the lack of oversight and adherence to safety regulations.
The petition argues that the South C incident reflects broader enforcement weaknesses within Nairobi’s construction sector. It questions whether Akech ignored his legal obligation to halt unlawful construction and sanction developers who breach safety rules.
Court records show that enforcement notices were issued to the developer in May, July, and December 2025. Despite these warnings, construction allegedly continued under the authority of the NCA.
Awino maintains that Akech had the power to intervene but “failed to enforce regulations, halt construction, or sanction developers,” describing these failures as administrative maladministration and abuse of office.
The petition also references an alleged public admission by Akech acknowledging the building’s non-compliance after it collapsed.
The lawsuit cites previous building collapses in Nairobi, including incidents in Zimmerman in 2023 and Kahawa West in 2024, to demonstrate ongoing regulatory lapses in agencies tasked with public safety.
