NAIROBI, Kenya- Principal Secretary for Public Health, Mary Muthoni, has urged building owners and developers to follow approved construction plans and safety rules after a building collapsed in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area.
Muthoni said regular structural inspections, prompt repairs and avoiding unauthorised alterations were essential to protect lives.
She also called on property managers to ensure buildings meet required standards throughout construction and use.
The appeal follows Friday’s collapse of a multi-storey building under construction along 9th Street in Eastleigh.
“We remain committed to working with national and county authorities, emergency responders and partners, including the Kenya Red Cross, to support affected families through emergency medical care and psychosocial support,” PS Muthoni said during a visit at the site of the incident.
Rescue teams were still searching the rubble on Saturday for seven people reported missing, according to updates from authorities and media at the scene.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said 67 construction workers had been at the site when the building came down.
He said 66 escaped without injuries and one was taken to hospital.
The seven people reported missing were believed to have been working or operating within the building, but their status had not been confirmed.
Muthoni said the Ministry of Health was working with national and county authorities, emergency responders and the Kenya Red Cross to assist affected families.
Support includes emergency medical care and psychosocial assistance, she said.
Building approval and safety under scrutiny
The cause of the Eastleigh building collapse had not been established as of Saturday.
Murkomen said relevant national and county agencies, working with professional bodies, would investigate the incident.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the building had approval for construction but lacked an occupation certificate, according to reports from the scene.
An occupation certificate confirms that a building is fit to be used after construction.
Authorities have not yet announced the outcome of an investigation into whether construction plans or safety requirements were breached.
The collapse has renewed attention on how building safety rules are enforced in Nairobi, where construction continues alongside shops and other businesses in busy neighbourhoods.
Health teams supporting affected families
The Ministry of Health said it would continue to coordinate with response agencies to provide assistance to people affected by the collapse.
Emergency medical care is being offered to those injured, while psychosocial support is intended to help families and survivors cope with distress caused by the incident.
The Kenya Red Cross has been part of the multi-agency response at the scene. Murkomen asked people whose relatives were missing to report to the organisation through its emergency response number, 1199.
The rescue operation and official investigation were continuing at the time of publication.
