Rescue teams have pulled two survivors from the rubble of a multi-storey building that collapsed in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area on Friday, even as police launched a manhunt for the owner and contractor amid growing questions over approvals and safety. Peopledaily
The structure, reported to have been between 16 and 18 storeys and still under construction along 9th Street, came down around 1 p.m. on October 23, 2026. A multi-agency team that includes the National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Red Cross and Nairobi City County crews has been working through the debris with excavators and sniffer dogs. As of Saturday, October 24, the National Police Service confirmed that two people had been rescued and taken to hospital, while the search for others continued. Thekenyatimes
NPS spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said authorities were hunting both the building owner and the contractor as investigators examined whether negligence or breaches of building rules contributed to the collapse. “Any individual or entity found culpable of negligence or of violating building regulations will face the full force of the law,” the service stated. Peopledaily
Earlier updates from Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen indicated that all 67 construction workers on site had been accounted for—66 escaped unharmed and one was hospitalised in stable condition. However, about 11 shops operating on the ground floor and in the basement were occupied at the time, and seven people were initially reported missing. Rescuers said they had made contact with some of those trapped and were carefully clearing debris to maintain air supply. Peopledaily
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja noted that the building had received certain county approvals but lacked an occupation certificate, even though commercial activity was already taking place. The National Construction Authority identified the developer as 9th Street Plaza Limited and the contractor as Stromax Holdings E. A Limited, along with the listed architect and structural engineer. Questions have also surfaced about the property’s ownership, which has been linked to the estate of the late Wilson Mutia Musyoki, and about the status of construction approvals. Pulse
The collapse has once again highlighted long-standing concerns over building standards and enforcement in Nairobi’s densely built commercial districts. Rescue operations remained ongoing into the weekend, with families urged to contact the Kenya Red Cross tracing desk or the 1199 hotline for information on missing relatives.