Sakaja reveals Eastleigh building had no occupation certificate after collapse
Speaking at the scene, Sakaja said the building had received approval but questioned whether the required procedures were followed, including the issuance of an occupation certificate before people moved into the property.
“Of course it had approval. That is not in doubt. But the steps that are being taken is what we need to question,” Sakaja said.
He added that the building had no temporary occupation certificate for people on the ground floor, raising concerns about how occupants were allowed into the premises.
Sakaja calls for tougher enforcement
The governor blamed weak enforcement and lenient penalties for allowing developers to continue violating construction regulations, saying counties needed stronger powers to deal with offenders.
“When you enforce, you find a fine of 5,000 shillings. And that does not deter anyone from continuing with an illegality,” he said.
Sakaja said the county had written to the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking authority for county city courts to handle relevant cases, arguing that stronger penalties were needed to deter violations.
He also questioned the practice of developers dismissing professionals whose names were used to secure building approvals, then continuing construction without their supervision.
Sakaja said the county had written to professional bodies, urging them to notify authorities whenever their members were removed from construction sites.
Rescue teams mobilised
The governor said the immediate priority was to rescue anyone trapped beneath the rubble, with several people feared trapped following the collapse of the building, reportedly about 16 storeys high.
“We are clearing the debris. Equipment has already been mobilised. Excavators and breakers,” he said, adding that the operation involved the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Disaster Operations Centre, the county government and the Kenya Red Cross.
Sniffer dogs and health workers had also been deployed as rescue teams prepared to search the debris.
Sakaja said some people had reportedly been communicating from inside the collapsed structure, prompting responders to create openings to allow oxygen to reach them.
The number of people trapped, injuries and possible fatalities had not been confirmed at the time of his briefing.
The governor said he would issue a comprehensive statement on the building’s status as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collapse continued.
