Babu Owino Calls for Independent Probe After South C Building Collapse

Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has called for a full independent investigation following the collapse of a 16-storey building under construction in South C, Nairobi County, an incident that has shocked residents and triggered an urgent rescue operation.

Emergency response teams, including the Kenya Red Cross, the National Disaster Management Unit, and the National Police Service, were deployed to the site as search-and-rescue efforts continued amid fears that workers may have been trapped in the rubble.

In a public statement issued after the incident, Owino described the collapse as a tragic reminder of weak oversight and poor enforcement of building regulations within Nairobi City County. He expressed concern over reports indicating that the building had originally been approved for 12 floors, but was later extended by four additional floors without proper authorization.

The legislator further alleged that the unauthorised construction may have been facilitated through corruption involving senior county officials. Owino claimed that bribes amounting to KSh 25 million were allegedly paid to secure illegal approvals, accusations he said point to deeper institutional failures that compromise public safety. County officials have not publicly responded to the claims.

Owino condemned any acts of corruption or bribery that undermine building safety, approvals issued without compliance with technical and legal standards, and what he termed a culture of impunity that allows developers and officials to evade accountability.

He called for a transparent and independent investigation into the collapse, including a review of all approvals and inspections carried out by county and national authorities. The MP also urged the suspension of approvals for undocumented or suspicious developments until comprehensive safety audits are conducted.

Additionally, Owino demanded the prosecution of any individuals found responsible, including public officials, developers, and construction professionals, and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms within Nairobi City County to ensure adherence to safety standards.

“Lives cannot be rebuilt. But systems can,” Owino said, urging authorities to use the tragedy as a catalyst for long-overdue reforms in the construction sector.

Authorities have launched investigations into the cause of the collapse, with an official report expected once rescue and recovery operations are completed.