A demolition exercise at the former Club Avenida premises along Moi Avenue in Nairobi’s Central Business District ended in a building collapse that injured four people on Friday night, prompting Nairobi County officials to seek answers over the safety measures followed during the operation.
The structure came down on October 16, 2026, when movement along the busy street was relatively low, limiting the potential for a larger tragedy involving pedestrians and motorists.
Nairobi City County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria confirmed the incident in a statement posted on his official X account in the early hours of Saturday, October 17.
He called for a detailed investigation to establish why the building collapsed and whether the demolition had been carried out in line with the required safety procedures.
“Tonight, along Moi Avenue in the CBD, a building that formerly housed Club Avenida collapsed during demolition, injuring four people. We thank God the incident happened at night when there was minimal human traffic along the road, as lives could have been lost,” he said.
The county official did not provide the names of the injured people or details about the seriousness of their injuries. His statement identified four people as having been hurt in the incident.
Mosiria called on Nairobi County engineers to examine the demolition process and determine the circumstances that led to the building giving way.
The investigation will seek to establish whether qualified experts were involved in supervising the work and whether the demolition had received all the necessary approvals before it began.
“I call upon our county engineers to conduct a thorough investigation into this specific demolition to establish the cause of the collapse, determine whether qualified experts were involved to guide the demolition, and verify whether all the necessary demolition approvals had been obtained,” he stated.
The inquiry is expected to examine the technical and regulatory steps taken before the demolition, including compliance with the required procedures.
The findings could help establish whether the work was properly supervised and whether the relevant safety requirements were observed during the operation.
The collapse also prompted Mosiria to remind developers of their responsibility to comply with county laws when carrying out construction and demolition projects.
He urged those undertaking such work to cooperate with county engineers and ensure that the process does not put workers, pedestrians or neighbouring properties at risk.
“I appeal to all developers to strictly comply with county laws during construction and demolition and work closely with county engineers to ensure safety and protect lives,” he said.
His appeal focused on the need for developers to follow the required rules and seek professional guidance when removing structures.
The county official maintained that safety precautions should remain central to demolition activities, particularly in areas where buildings are close to busy roads and public spaces.
The building previously housed Avenida, a Nairobi restaurant and entertainment venue known for hosting social gatherings, music and live football screenings.
The premises had been fenced off in August 2026, apparently in preparation for redevelopment.
The collapse occurred while demolition work was in progress, although the precise reason for the structure’s failure had not been established in the statement issued by Mosiria.
The incident left four people injured, while the low level of pedestrian and vehicle traffic at the time reduced the risk of additional casualties.
The Moi Avenue incident comes against a backdrop of concerns over the safety of buildings in Nairobi and the enforcement of regulations governing construction, demolition and inspections.
In March 2026, four people died and another four were injured when a building collapsed during demolition in Shauri Moyo. The structure had been earmarked for removal under the Nairobi River Regeneration Project.
Another building collapse in South C in January 2026 led to criminal proceedings against the owner and other individuals, who were charged in July over offences connected to the incident.
The charges included manslaughter, while the court proceedings also involved allegations concerning construction approval documents.
The two incidents have added to scrutiny of how buildings are approved, constructed, inspected and removed in the capital.
The collapse at the former Club Avenida premises now places the demolition process along Moi Avenue under further examination, with county engineers expected to establish the cause and determine whether the work met the required safety and approval standards.