Drama as 156 tenants are evacuated after building develops cracks in Nairobi's Kabiria area

There was panic when a total of 156 tenants were evacuated from a ten-storey building in Kwa Maji, Kabiria area of Dagoretti Sub-County, Nairobi.

This was after engineers declared the premises dangerous following the discovery of cracks.

The evacuation took place on Saturday, October 31, 2026, after authorities were alerted to the potentially unsafe structure.

According to police, the incident was reported at around 3:45 pm by an assistant director at the Nairobi County Fire Engine Department who had been informed of the same.

The incident comes a week after a building under construction collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi and left at least one person dead. Six others were rescued. The rescue mission entered its second week on Friday.

Police officers visited the scene and found a team of planning engineers headed by Engineer Rex Maroko assessing the building.

Following an inspection, the engineers declared the structure dangerous and advised all occupants to vacate immediately.

A total of 156 tenants complied with the directive and evacuated the premises without any incident.

The building was subsequently secured as authorities moved to prevent further access.

The cause of the cracks had not been established by the time of the report, police said.

Police said the incident occurred after tenants discovered a huge crack on one of the walls, forcing them to raise the alarm and contact Riruta Police Station and Nairobi City County officials.

Police officers and county enforcement officials responded to the scene and, after inspecting the premises and the visible cracks, ordered all occupants to vacate the building while they conducted further assessments.

The evacuation left tenants scrambling to move their belongings, with some forced to abandon household items as they sought alternative accommodation.

An enforcement notice issued by Nairobi City County under the Physical and Land Use Planning Act No. 13 of 2019 and Nairobi City County by-laws said the building was described as a dangerous and ruinous permanent structure.

The notice identified the property as Nairobi Block 66/7880, located along Kabiria Road in Riruta Ward, Dagoretti South Sub-County. It further describes the development as a permanent structure with 10 levels of occupation.

The county cited alleged non-compliance with the Physical and Land Use Planning Act No. 13 of 2019, the Building Code 2024 and other relevant regulations, stating that the development had been undertaken without the required planning permission.

Among the directives issued was the immediate vacation of all occupants and removal of the structure.

The county warned that failure to comply could result in enforcement action, with the cost of such intervention recoverable as a civil debt.

Police officers are manning the building as the incident has renew concerns over building safety, planning approvals and enforcement of construction regulations in Nairobi, particularly in rapidly developing residential neighborhoods.

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