Rescue teams have recovered the body of a woman from the rubble of the collapsed building in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area, as the search for survivors entered its eighth day on Friday, October 30, with 16 people still unaccounted for.
The recovery marks a grim development in the operation that began on October 23, when the multi-storey building under construction collapsed along 9th Street, trapping workers, traders and other people beneath tonnes of concrete and debris.
Authorities say approximately 85 per cent of the debris has been cleared, with emergency teams concentrating on accessing the basement and other lower sections where some of the missing people are suspected to have been trapped.
Nairobi North County Commissioner Simon Osumba said 16 people remained unaccounted for following a verification exercise conducted by the Kenya Red Cross and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Osumba said investigators had used mobile phone location data to establish that nine of the missing individuals were at the building shortly before it collapsed. Authorities were still pursuing information on four other cases, while three families had yet to provide telephone numbers to assist in tracing their relatives.
The rescue operation has involved several government agencies, including the National Disaster Management Unit, National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces, National Youth Service, Nairobi County emergency teams and the Kenya Red Cross.
The government has also mobilised medical support for survivors and affected families. The Ministry of Health established a 24-hour response desk at the scene, while nearby health facilities were placed on alert to receive anyone rescued from the rubble.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the ministry had activated disaster response protocols and was working with Nairobi County to coordinate medical assistance.
“The Ministry of Health has activated disaster response protocols and is working closely with the county government of Nairobi to support medical response to all those that may still be found alive,” Muthoni said.
The ministry also partnered with the Kenya Red Cross to establish support stations providing medical assistance and psychosocial support to families waiting for information about their missing relatives.
The Red Cross has been coordinating missing-person reports through a tracing desk established at the scene, working with families and emergency responders to verify identities and establish the whereabouts of those reported missing.
The organisation has also been using its emergency operations centre to conduct contact tracing, while asking families searching for relatives to use its toll-free number, 1199, for assistance. Its teams have provided search-and-rescue support alongside other agencies and helped reunite people initially reported missing with their families.
The collapse has renewed concerns about construction safety and the enforcement of building regulations, particularly after reports that businesses were operating on the ground floor while construction continued above them.
Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) President Harrison Keter warned that construction sites should not be used for commercial activities before work is completed and the premises are safe for occupation.
“Why are we flouting basic rules, simple common sense? You cannot start doing business in a building that's under construction. A construction site is definitely supposed to be cordoned off, and only the people who are working there are supposed to be there,” Keter said.
Keter also questioned the enforcement of construction procedures, arguing that failures in planning, design, approvals and supervision could contribute to building collapses.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed the DCI to investigate possible negligence, omissions or misconduct by developers, contractors, construction professionals and public officials involved in the project.
The Engineers Board of Kenya has separately launched investigations to establish the role of engineers involved in the development, warning that any confirmed breach of professional standards or engineering obligations would attract regulatory action.
Detectives are also questioning individuals linked to the project as investigators seek to establish whether the building had the necessary approvals, whether inspections were conducted, and whether construction complied with safety requirements.
The DPP has directed that the investigation file be submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for independent review and possible prosecution once investigations are complete.
The recovery operation and investigations remain ongoing as families continue waiting for information about their missing relatives.