Architects Alliance Calls for National Audit of Buildings After Eastleigh Collapse

NAIROBI,Kenya Oct 24 – The Architects Alliance (TAA) has called for an urgent nationwide audit of buildings and comprehensive reforms in the construction sector following the collapse of a building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, warning that recurring incidents point to systemic weaknesses in development approvals, inspections and enforcement.

In a statement issued on Saturday, TAA president Sen. Dr Sylvia Kasanga said the latest incident, which occurred on October 23, 2026, should prompt the government and regulatory agencies to address longstanding gaps in building safety rather than rely on investigations and enforcement measures after disasters.

The alliance called for an independent technical investigation into the Eastleigh collapse, with findings made public, including details of the building’s approval status, construction supervision, inspections and any enforcement action taken.

It also urged national and county governments to conduct an immediate risk-based audit of existing and ongoing developments, prioritising densely populated urban areas and buildings showing signs of structural distress.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this incident, including construction workers, neighbouring residents, property owners and the wider Eastleigh community,” TAA said, calling on authorities to prioritise rescue operations, assess the safety of surrounding structures and provide timely information to the public.

The alliance said the precise cause of the collapse must be established through an independent technical investigation but argued that the recurrence of such incidents raises wider questions about the effectiveness of institutions responsible for regulating construction.

TAA said it had raised similar concerns in January following a building collapse in South C and reiterated them in June, highlighting weaknesses in development approvals, professional supervision, inspections and enforcement.

“Today, barely months later, we find ourselves responding to another building collapse,” the alliance said, warning that isolated investigations, arrests and temporary enforcement operations would not resolve the underlying problems.

The organisation called for reforms across the entire development process, from project design and approvals to construction, supervision, inspection and occupation certification.

It said individuals found culpable of negligence, professional misconduct, corruption or other unlawful conduct should face appropriate consequences through fair and lawful processes.

However, TAA maintained that accountability after a disaster was insufficient without effective preventive measures to ensure unsafe buildings were neither constructed nor occupied.

The alliance also called for the strengthening of the Office of the City Architect in Nairobi and the establishment of equivalent Offices of the Chief Architect in counties to provide coordinated technical leadership in development control.

It further urged the National Construction Authority (NCA), the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (BORAQS), Parliament, professional associations and other stakeholders in the built environment to develop a coordinated national programme for preventing building failures.

Among its proposals is the establishment of a national building failure investigation and prevention framework that would maintain a publicly accessible record of technical findings, recommendations, responsible institutions and progress in implementing corrective measures.

TAA also called for the public disclosure of previous building collapse investigation reports, including the causes identified, recommendations made and actions taken by the relevant authorities.

The alliance said Kenyans deserved to know whether previous investigations had resulted in meaningful reforms and why similar incidents continued to occur.

It further advocated for independent, profession-specific regulatory frameworks for built-environment professionals, arguing that such structures would protect professional autonomy, uphold ethical and competency standards, and ensure accountability without undue political, administrative or commercial interference.

TAA urged the government to convene an urgent national multi-stakeholder engagement involving regulators, professional bodies, developers, contractors and other relevant institutions to agree on a time-bound programme of reforms.

The alliance said building safety required coordinated action by government agencies, professionals and developers, adding that progress should be measured by the number of lives protected and building failures prevented rather than the number of investigations launched or statements issued.

“The safety of our built environment must never be negotiable,” the alliance said, urging authorities to move beyond reactive enforcement and commit to lasting reforms.

TAA said it was ready to contribute its professional expertise and policy proposals towards developing and implementing measures to improve building safety in Kenya.