On January 10, 2026, Raphael Mwandikwa, 40, left his home in Zimmerman Estate early in the morning, heading to a construction site in Karen where he worked as a carpenter.
That day, he had promised his wife he would return home around 2 pm. But he never did.
Mwandikwa was among two workers who died when a building under construction collapsed in Karen Ward, Lang’ata Sub-County, at around 3 pm.
“That day, he was supposed to return home at 2 pm as usual. He called me around mid-morning during their tea break, but around 2:50 pm I grew anxious and wanted to find out why he had not returned. When I called him, he was not picking up, and I started feeling uneasy,” his wife said.
She said it was not until 4 pm that someone answered and informed her that her husband had been involved in an accident at the construction site, where he had been employed since October 2025.
“I have been left a widow to take care of three young children, which is why we are fighting for justice. Not even the county has reached out to tell us the way forward or who will cover the burial expenses,” she added.
Buried under debris
According to witnesses, the residential building, constructed up to the first floor, caved in while workers were mixing concrete underneath.
Tragically, Mwandikwa and another colleague were buried under debris consisting of concrete and metal materials. It took more than three hours to retrieve their bodies.
An autopsy conducted on Mwandikwa’s body at the City Mortuary on January 13, 2026, confirmed that he died from multiple injuries to the head, limbs, and abdomen caused by blunt force trauma.
The tragedy comes barely two weeks after a similar incident in South C, which claimed the lives of two security guards at a building under construction. Authorities have been largely blamed for the incidents, bringing construction approval agencies under scrutiny.
The 14-storey South C building collapsed on January 2, killing at least two people and injuring several others. Investigations revealed that the building had been illegally extended from the approved 12 floors to 14.
Experts warn that such incidents are likely to continue unless accountability is enforced. They cite unprocedural approvals at City Hall, lax oversight, and weak enforcement by the national government.
City Planner Mairura Omwenga argued that both county and national governments have neglected their primary responsibility to protect lives and property, and that the State must be held accountable for these disasters.
“Once a building has been approved, it is their responsibility to inspect progress to ensure that what is being constructed matches the approved plan, which is why people pay for these services,” said Mairura, who is also the chairman of town planners.
He added that developers, contractors, and consultants ought to be held accountable for ensuring the quality of work is not compromised.
Some leaders allege that powerful cartels at City Hall facilitate illegal approvals in exchange for bribes, yet no action is taken.
Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru said responsibility lies with the county administration, including committee members who approve buildings and, he claims, are unqualified.
“For a building to be approved, you must pay a bribe. In South C, only 12 floors were approved, yet it was changed to 14, this must have involved corruption at City Hall,” Gathiru said.
He added that contractors should not bear the blame alone and that the county and national government must face consequences.
Gathiru also claimed that many fake contractors are certified by the National Construction Authority (NCA), insisting that disasters will continue as long as City Hall officials remain unaccountable.
Laxity of county leadership
At the same time, he accused Governor Johnson Sakaja of laxity in taking action whenever a disaster strikes compared to previous regimes.
Nairobi County Assembly Deputy Minority Leader Waithera Chege observed that these incidents have been rampant due to illegal and irregular approvals, extensions, and change of use.
She also noted that the county has been ignoring structural conditions and weak enforcement during the initial stages, alongside compromises in professional practice, such as the use of fake engineers and contractors submitting forged documents.
“There is also political and commercial pressure in high-value zones, such as South B and C, undermining technical decision-making,” said Waithera.
She added that prosecutions are complicated because some approvals are given verbally, internal resistance exists, and officers found at fault are often shielded.
“Another issue is the lengthy disciplinary and legal process, allowing suspects to remain in office, and some easily obtain court orders. There is also a capacity gap in investigations and compliance units,” she said.
To streamline the sector, Waithera said there ought to be head-to-head digitisation of approval and inspection processes, strengthening of enforcement units, and public access to approved building plans, among other measures.
Kilelshwa MCA Robert Alai, who first revealed that additional floors had been approved for the South C collapsed building contrary to regulations, accused two senior individuals in the executive of being behind the mess.
“These officers are a serious threat to Nairobi City County when they work with those in the office of the governor,” Alai said on January 2.
He added: “This is a serious cartel working to destroy Nairobi by approving illegal buildings while flouting all rules, including public participation.”
