NCA names developer, contractor and engineers behind collapsed Eastleigh building

• The authority did not indicate whether it had inspected the building before the collapse, whether any violations had been reported or whether enforcement action had been taken against the project.

The National Construction Authority (NCA) has named the developer, contractor, architect and structural engineer listed for the multi-storey building that collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on Friday, as questions mount over the project’s safety and regulatory oversight.

In a statement issued after the collapse on Friday evening, the authority said the building was registered on July 30, 2025, as a proposed development on 9th Street in Eastleigh, Kamukunji Sub-County.

The NCA listed 9th Street Plaza Limited as the developer and Stromax Holdings E.A Limited as the contractor. Emmanuel Mwangi Maina was listed as the project architect, while Joseph Muturi Mugu was named as the structural engineer.

The authority did not indicate whether it had inspected the building before the collapse, whether any violations had been reported or whether enforcement action had been taken against the project.

The collapse triggered a rescue operation that is still ongoing, with emergency teams working at the scene to search for people trapped beneath the rubble.

“The immediate priority is the safety of the public. The site has been cordoned off, and a multi-agency team is on the ground coordinating rescue efforts and conducting preliminary investigations,” the NCA said.

The collapse renewed questions about construction safety and the enforcement of regulations governing building projects in Nairobi, particularly in densely populated neighbourhoods.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, who visited the scene following the incident, said the building had not complied with construction guidelines.

He pledged legal action against those responsible as investigations seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.

Reports later established that some shops on the building’s ground floor were operating before the collapse, raising questions about how the premises were being used without the certificate cited by the governor.

Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud has said investigators will seek to establish who was responsible for any criminal negligence. He said the building’s owner and those who authorised the project could face charges, depending on the findings.

“Whoever is the owner, whoever authorised the building, all of them may be charged appropriately, but that will come after thorough investigations are done,” Issa said at the scene.