As the rescue continues in Eastleigh, attention is turning to how a building flagged by authorities months ago kept rising until it fell.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the property belongs to the estate of the late Wilson Mutia Musyoki. A change of land use was granted in 2024, after which John Mutia Musyoki, the developer on record, applied to build 15 floors plus a basement. The governor said the building had an approval certificate but no occupation certificate, raising questions about why traders were operating on the lower floors.
The National Construction Authority says the project was registered with it on July 30, 2025, with 9th Street Plaza Limited listed as developer and Stromax Holdings E.A. Limited as contractor. The architect and structural engineer on record are Emmanuel Mwangi Maina and Joseph Muturi Mugu. The NCA has not said what caused the collapse.
Citizen TV has reported that 14 people linked to the site were arrested by county enforcement officers on June 17, 2026, for allegedly breaching the City Planning Act, but were freed on Ksh50,000 cash bail without being charged. The listed owner, architect, engineer and contractor were not among those arrested. Governor Sakaja has blamed police for the release.
Government Spokesperson Charles Owino said the registered owner is deceased and that the family later entered a joint venture.
Detectives from the DCI have questioned several Nairobi County officers and one of the building’s three owners, and NCA officials were expected to record statements. Police earlier launched a manhunt for the building’s owner.
Sources: Nation; Citizen Digital; Kenyans.co.ke; Pulse Kenya; Eastleigh Voice.
