Embakasi East MP Babu Owino during a past Parliamentary committee session.
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has accused Nairobi City County officials of corruption following the collapse of a 16-storey building that was under construction in South C, calling for a full, independent investigation and sweeping reforms in the construction sector.
In a statement issued after the incident, Owino said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the collapse, which has left families distressed and emergency responders racing to rescue possible survivors.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the collapse of the 16-storey building under construction in South C, Nairobi County—an incident that has left families in anguish and emergency teams scrambling for survivors,” the MP said.
Owino described the incident as a stark reminder of systemic failures in the capital’s construction oversight mechanisms.
“This tragedy, coming just days into the new year, is a painful reminder of the cost of weak oversight, poor enforcement, and suspected corruption in Nairobi City County,” he stated.
The legislator raised concerns over reports that the building may have exceeded its approved height, alleging that corruption within county offices enabled the illegal expansion.
“We note with grave concern reports suggesting that this structure was originally approved for fewer floors, and that unauthorised additional floors were added, allegedly facilitated through bribes to the governor and other Nairobi City County officials,” Owino said.
According to the MP, the allegations point to what he termed “institutional corruption, where life-safety standards are sacrificed for profit and political convenience.”
He strongly condemned what he described as a culture of impunity in the construction sector.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms any corruption or bribery that undermines building safety and public trust; approvals granted without full compliance with technical and legal requirements; and a culture of impunity where county officials, developers, and professionals escape accountability,” he said.
Owino demanded immediate action from authorities, including a “full, transparent, and independent investigation into the collapse, covering all approvals and inspections carried out at both county and national levels.”
He further called for the immediate suspension of approvals for undocumented or suspicious developments until comprehensive national safety audits and compliance checks are completed.
The MP also urged the prosecution of all individuals found to have enabled unsafe construction, whether public officials, private developers, or professionals in the built environment.
Owino concluded by urging Nairobi City County to strengthen enforcement mechanisms to ensure safety standards are applied uniformly.
“Lives cannot be rebuilt. But systems can. Let this disaster spur the reforms Nairobi has long needed, so that we never again mourn deaths that could have been prevented,” he said.
