Professionals Warn of Systemic Failures After Fatal South C Building Collapse

The collapse of a building under construction in South C, Nairobi, has once again exposed deep-rooted systemic failures in Kenya’s construction and development control systems, according to leading built environment professional associations.

In a joint statement issued after the tragedy, the professionals described the incident as the outcome of long-standing weaknesses across the entire development chain — from planning approvals and design to construction, inspection, and enforcement.

They noted that building collapses are rarely caused by a single error, but instead result from interconnected failures involving poor planning, compromised construction methods, substandard materials, weak inspections, corruption, political interference, and the involvement of unqualified practitioners.

“This is not a professional turf war. It is a national safety crisis,” the statement said, warning that unless structural reforms are implemented, more lives will continue to be lost.

The associations raised concern over the way county governments handle development control, urging them to move beyond treating approvals as revenue streams. 

They called for the appointment and empowerment of core technical professionals — including Chief Architects, Engineers, Planners, Surveyors, and Valuers — to oversee quality assurance and compliance.

To address systemic weaknesses, the professionals proposed mandatory peer reviews at all stages of development, clear separation between design and implementation roles, and the creation of a national planning information system to harmonize standards across counties.

They also called for better coordination among regulatory agencies to eliminate institutional silos that allow unsafe projects to slip through oversight gaps.

While acknowledging Kenya’s technical capacity and existing laws, the professionals stressed that the real challenge lies in enforcement and political will. They described preventable building collapses as a national shame, noting that solutions are well known but rarely acted upon.

“We know what is broken, and we know how to fix it,” the statement concluded. “What remains is the courage to act.”