Eastleigh building: Kin in anguish as blame game over tragedy rages

With families still in search of their loved ones and with five people still reported under the rubble, Kenyans have sadly been treated to a blame game over who is responsible.

On Sunday night, Governor Sakaja put in a lot of effort to defend himself from claims that the city county he runs had approved the development of the building.

According to Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, the building had approval.

"Sakaja lied to Kenyans that the building in Eastleigh that collapsed had no approval, yet he approved the construction," said Babu.

In a document he has shared on his social media pages, he claims the approval was done on 13th February, 2024.

But in a quick rejoinder, Sakaja dismissed the document posted by Babu as fake. He said that according to county records, the application for development was made in November 2024, contrary to the date given in Babu's document, which was 27th December 2023.

He insists the application has not been approved, arguing that the fake document was what was used by the developer to get the National Construction Authority approval.

Sakaja added that the developer applied for a change of use from residential to residential & commercial in August of 2024, which was never approved, but the change of use was approved in October of 2024.

"Development approval has never been granted. The developer went on to build with impunity and without building approvals despite enforcement action by the county and arrests," said Sakaja on his Facebook page.

But the big question of why the construction still happened under the watch of the county government, which Sakaja runs, remains unanswered.

The fact that businesses operated while construction was ongoing also raises further serious questions over how they went on under the radar of City Hall and whether they had issued permits to those businesses.

A press statement from the National Construction Authority NCA on Friday after the collapse states that the building was registered with the Authority on 30th July 2025 as a proposed development under registration number 53128815710410.

Sequentially, the county is first to approve any construction plans then it is registered with the National Construction Authority.

Finally, before anyone moves in, the county has to issue an occupation certificate.

Because the NCA cannot approve any development project without city council approval, this fact raises more serious questions on Sakaja's end about how the NCA registered it but Sakaja says it was not approved.

To pile on Sakaja's woes, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) threw him under the bus on Monday through a statement denying having any inquiry file relating to the construction of the building.

The statement in part read, "No inquiry file relating to the construction of the building has ever been forwarded to the DPP by the Nairobi City County Government regarding malfeasance by the private developer, professionals or county government officials for perusal or directions."

This further places more scrutiny on Sakaja, who on Sunday said that prosecution on the same matter had been denied after arrests and enforcement action.

"The suspects were released on a 50k bail at Kamukunji police on the very same day. Prosecution of the same was also denied," wrote Sakaja on his Facebook page.

He posted a document dated 16th April 2026 where he wrote to the DPP lamenting the current prosecutorial framework, stating that many charge sheets arising from breaches of laws implemented by the county have been delayed, denied or dismissed.

The ODPP has now directed the Director of Criminal Investigations to conduct thorough investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.

 Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, in a televised interview on Sunday, blamed greed as the cause of the collapse.

"What has happened is because of greed. I think there are failures on the part of the men and women who work in the county Government, the regulators, the owners of the building and the problem of our country is that we are reactionary." Duale said.

Former Nairobi Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria, who had a stint in the Environment docket between August 2024 and November 2025, has also hit back at his former boss, saying the buck stops with him.

"Tell Nairobians the truth. You are the Chief Cashier, and the only thing working in City Hall is your bank account and wallet. Where were you as the Governor when this building was being constructed?" said Mosiria.

From a total of four people who have been rescued from the Eastleigh building collapse so far, one, Victor Onyango, who was rescued on Saturday, says that he refused to resign himself to fate.

Victor runs a tailoring business that was in the building and he narrated that the door of his business came crashing down on him.

Victor explained that as the excavator worked, he too tried to figure his way out, climbing as the rubble was being combed through until he was eventually out.

The second person rescued was Zeynab Mohamed, who was in her shop when the building collapsed.

The two were in proximity and according to Victor, they were in constant communication while in the rubble.

"We talked with each other till morning (Saturday). She was the one encouraging me as I told her that we were with God," said Victor, adding that when he was rescued, he told the officers that Zeynab was around there.

Victor and Zeynab were among the seven who Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said were feared to be trapped beneath the rubble.

However, other survivors are battling hospital bills after escaping death by a whisker.

Julius Mwanzia sustained serious injuries, including a fractured leg and chest, after jumping from the 14th floor of the collapsed building in a desperate attempt to save his life.

The family also says that he is mentally unstable.

His family complains that they have not found any financial assistance since Julius was transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital.

"The bill is now at 45,150. No one has come to our help; even those who had hired him have not come to our aid," said John Kyulu, his brother.

They have appealed to well-wishers and Governor Sakaja to come in handy and settle the bill.