A section of residents in Nairobi’s South C estate issued a seven-day ultimatum to Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome demanding immediate action and public accountability over the collapse of an illegal 16-storey building that killed two people in January 2026.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development dated May 11, the residents accused the government of silence and inaction more than five months after the tragedy at Muhoho Avenue in South C involving Plot No. 68/1306.
The residents, through South C Residents Association chairman Abdi Karim Hassan, said repeated calls for investigations and accountability had been ignored despite earlier petitions and public concern over unsafe buildings in the area.
“We write on behalf of residents of South C and the wider Kenyan public to express our profound outrage, disappointment and concern over the continued silence and apparent inaction,” the letter stated.
The association said a petition submitted to the ministry on April 17, 2026 had allegedly not received any response. This further fuelled fears that influential individuals linked to illegal developments were being shielded from scrutiny.
“The silence from your Ministry and other enforcement agencies has created the disturbing perception that powerful individuals connected to the illegal developments are being protected at the expense of public safety and justice,” the residents said.
The residents demanded that the ministry publicly communicate actions taken within seven days of receiving the complaint. They also warned that continued inaction would reinforce perceptions of corruption and negligence within the construction sector.
They also warned that failure to urgently address dangerous structures could expose more residents to risk.
“Every day that passes without action places more lives at risk,” the letter adds.
The association further cautioned that any future building collapse occurring after repeated warnings would place responsibility squarely on government institutions and officials accused of failing to act.
The January collapse sparked renewed debate over enforcement of building regulations in Nairobi. The concerns were raised over illegal approvals, weak inspections and corruption within the construction sector.
The residents have staged protests over the incident in vain.
The association further urged authorities to institute criminal proceedings against all parties linked to the project. These include the developer, county officials involved in approvals and enforcement, and professional consultants.
Letters have already been sent to Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Mulele Ingonga. Letters have also been sent to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, seeking swift legal action.
The residents also accused enforcement agencies of enabling a “culture of impunity,”. They alleged that previous enforcement notices issued in 2025 failed to stop the illegal construction.
They also claimed some officers faced intimidation, while arrested site agents were quickly released and allowed to resume work.
This comes amid growing concern over building safety across Nairobi. Professionals warn that a number of structures in the city could be structurally unsound.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has attributed delays in concluding the probe to the complexity of the case. The agency said investigations span the entire lifecycle of the building, from approvals and inspections to construction and structural integrity assessments. They DCI also noted that they rely on reports from multiple institutions.
The explanation follows pressure from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The ODPP has faulted investigators for taking months without submitting a case file.
Despite the delays, the DCI maintains that the investigation is active and progressing. The DCI also assured the public that a final report will be submitted once all technical processes are complete.
