MCA Alai calls for prosecution of Nairobi County officials, developer after South C tragedy

Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly (MCA) Robert Alai has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of county officials and developers linked to Friday’s deadly collapse of a 16-storey building in South C, describing the tragedy as a man-made disaster born out of corruption and criminal negligence.

In an emotionally charged statement released on Friday, Alai extended his deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the collapse of the building along Muhoho Avenue, including security guards and a taxi driver with his passengers.

The lawmaker declared that this was not a natural disaster but rather the result of human failings at multiple levels of oversight.

Armed with official county records, including the Nairobi City County approval notice dated December 19, 2023, and submitted architectural drawings, Alai revealed that permission was granted for only 12 levels comprising 80 mixed-use apartments on L.R. No. 209/5909/10.

The approved floor plans explicitly detail a basement, ground floor, first floor, and typical layouts from the 2nd to the 11th floor. Yet the collapsed building had reached 16 storeys, with four illegal extra floors built in open defiance of the law.

The lawmaker stated that this glaring violation could not have happened without the active complicity or criminal negligence of Nairobi City County officials in the Built Environment and Urban Planning department, coupled with deliberate wrongdoing by the developer.

He called for the immediate arrest of several county officials, including the Chief Officer for Built Environment and Urban Planning, the Director of Physical Planning, County Building Inspectors for Lang'ata Sub-County, members of the Urban Planning Technical Committee that approved the project under Item No. 60 on December 19, 2023, the Lang'ata Sub-County Enforcement Commander, and responsible NEMA and NCA officials.

Alai specifically named three officers he said have been repeatedly linked to illegal approvals. He also called for the arrest of the directors of the developer, stating that they directed the construction of illegal floors that endangered lives.

"Nairobians are tired of burying their brothers and sisters under concrete because a few selfish individuals put profit over people," he said, adding that the pattern must end immediately.

The lawmaker insisted that all parties should be charged with manslaughter, gross negligence causing death, abuse of office, wilful neglect of duty, and violations of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act.

"This incident shouldn't provide the police, especially the DCI officers, with a chance to collect bribes and line their pockets but an opportunity to be on the side of the public and protect the sanity of the Nairobians," he said.

"I call on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to act swiftly and decisively. Arrest those responsible today. Prosecute them without fear or favour. Let this be the last time greed costs us innocent lives."