Members of Parliament have demanded an immediate suspension of construction activities in parts of Nairobi following the collapse of a 16-storey building under construction in South C, an incident that occurred on Friday 2 January 2026.
The building collapsed at around 5am along Muhoho Road in Lang’ata Constituency, leaving at least two people trapped under the rubble, triggering an emergency response by the Kenya Red Cross, the National Disaster Management Unit, (NMDU) and the National Police Service as rescuers searched for survivors.
Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, described the incident as tragic and unacceptable and called for an immediate stop to all construction activities in South C and Nairobi West wards until full safety audits and compliance checks are carried out.
“This is a tragic and unacceptable way to begin the year. At approximately 5:00 a.m. today, a 16-storey building under construction collapsed along Muhoho Road in South C, Lang’ata Constituency, leaving several people trapped beneath the rubble,” Jalang’o said.
The MP said the continued disregard for construction regulations had put lives at risk, adding that building activities should only resume after approvals, safety inspections, and verifications by all relevant authorities.
Jalang’o urged swift, transparent investigations as rescue efforts continued, appealing for calm among families of those possibly trapped.
On the other hand, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino linked the collapse to weak oversight and alleged graft at Nairobi City County, saying the tragedy exposed deep failures in enforcing building safety standards.
Babu claimed the structure had been approved for fewer floors, with additional storeys allegedly added unlawfully, and called for a full, independent investigation into all approvals and inspections associated with the project.
He further demanded the suspension of approvals for undocumented or suspicious developments across Nairobi and called for the prosecution of any public officials, developers, or professionals found to have enabled unsafe construction.
“We demand stronger enforcement mechanisms in Nairobi City County to ensure that every structure meets the highest safety standards, not just those with connections. Lives cannot be rebuilt. But systems can. Let this disaster spur the reforms Nairobi has long needed, so that we never again mourn deaths that could have been prevented,” Babu said.
Meanwhile, at the time of publishing, rescue operations were underway to locate the two individuals trapped in the rubble. There were also concerns that a nearby building might collapse due to structural movements caused by the incident.
However, NMDU stated that rescue efforts were being carried out with caution and that the structural integrity of the adjacent building would only be assessed by the National Construction Authority (NCA) after teams reached the first and ground floors. Meanwhile, residents have been advised to remain alert as a precaution.
