A cracked apartment block in Nairobi forced 156 tenants out after safety experts deemed the 10-story site unsafe. Residents in Kwa Maji, Kabiria, had spotted a large split in a wall and alerted Riruta police and county staff. The scare hit Dagoretti South, where families had to leave their homes.
Wilson, an assistant director with the county fire department, flagged the case to police. Officers arrived as a crew led by engineer Rex Maroko checked the site. Their verdict was clear. Nobody could stay inside, and all residents had to leave.
Thankfully, the exit went ahead with no reported injuries or clashes. But the move was far from easy. Some people rushed to pack their stuff, while others left home goods behind and had to seek a place to stay.
Officials then blocked entry, with police posted outside to keep people away. The exact cause of the damage remains unclear, as checks have yet to pin it down.
County records list the site as Nairobi Block 66/7880, on Kabiria Road in Riruta Ward. Officials described the property as an unsafe permanent block with ten occupied levels.
Then came the legal issue. Nairobi City County claims the developer lacked the needed planning approval and breached land-use rules under Act No. 13 of 2019, the Building Code 2024, and local laws.
Under its formal notice, the county ordered residents out and called for the block to be removed. Failure to comply could lead to direct action by officials, with the bill later claimed as a civil debt.
And this is not the only recent building scare in the city. A site still under construction in Eastleigh had collapsed, killing at least one person. Six people made it out alive, while rescue crews kept working at the scene.
For Nairobi, the two cases have put fresh focus on building checks, permits, and how local officials enforce safety rules in fast-growing housing areas.
Wilson, an assistant director with the county fire department, flagged the case to police. Officers arrived as a crew led by engineer Rex Maroko checked the site. Their verdict was clear. Nobody could stay inside, and all residents had to leave.
Thankfully, the exit went ahead with no reported injuries or clashes. But the move was far from easy. Some people rushed to pack their stuff, while others left home goods behind and had to seek a place to stay.
Officials then blocked entry, with police posted outside to keep people away. The exact cause of the damage remains unclear, as checks have yet to pin it down.
County records list the site as Nairobi Block 66/7880, on Kabiria Road in Riruta Ward. Officials described the property as an unsafe permanent block with ten occupied levels.
Then came the legal issue. Nairobi City County claims the developer lacked the needed planning approval and breached land-use rules under Act No. 13 of 2019, the Building Code 2024, and local laws.
Under its formal notice, the county ordered residents out and called for the block to be removed. Failure to comply could lead to direct action by officials, with the bill later claimed as a civil debt.
And this is not the only recent building scare in the city. A site still under construction in Eastleigh had collapsed, killing at least one person. Six people made it out alive, while rescue crews kept working at the scene.
For Nairobi, the two cases have put fresh focus on building checks, permits, and how local officials enforce safety rules in fast-growing housing areas.
