A four-storey building in Mamboleo, Kisumu County, partially collapsed on Monday morning, trapping tenants inside and injuring eight people. The building, which housed about 40 families, gave way at around 6am, sending tenants scrambling for safety as sections of the structure, including the staircase, collapsed. Two people sustained critical injuries, while six others suffered minor injuries. The incident has raised questions over the enforcement of safety warnings, as it was revealed that the building had previously been flagged by the National Construction Authority (NCA) as unsafe.
One of the tenants, Alex Babu, recounted his terrifying experience, saying he woke up to rushing water entering his ground-floor house after a water tank and part of the building collapsed. He said he was submerged at the waist and could have drowned if not for a neighbour who came to his rescue. Babu tried to find an escape route but found the doors blocked by debris and water. He eventually broke a window glass and injured himself while trying to squeeze through. His neighbour, who had escaped, returned with others and broke through a wall, creating an opening through which Babu was pulled to safety.
Babu revealed that he only learnt after the collapse that the building had previously been flagged by the NCA as unsafe, with an X mark plastered on the building. He questioned why the building remained occupied despite the warning, saying the caretaker claimed to have an inspectorate certificate. Another tenant, Simon Omondi, also recounted his experience, saying he heard a series of loud bangs shortly before the building gave way. He managed to escape but said others on the upper floors had a harder time getting down due to the damaged staircase.
The collapse damaged the staircase, making it difficult for tenants on the upper floors to escape. Tenants were later barred from returning to their rooms, with many losing their belongings. Rose Amondi, another survivor, said she had lived in the building for about three months and had never experienced a similar incident. She recounted jumping from the first floor down and getting hit on her back and hands. The survivors' accounts have raised concerns over the safety of buildings in the area.
Authorities confirmed that the building had previously been subjected to safety warnings, raising questions over how it remained occupied and why construction continued. Following the collapse, NCA officials placed a fresh notice on the building reading: “UNSAFE BUILDING. VACATE! 21/09/2026. NCA 4TH WARNING.” The Standard also established that several nearby buildings had NCA X marks, with some of the markings appearing to have been partially erased or covered.
Fredrick Mariwa, Advisor on Partnerships, Resource Mobilisation and Urban Development for the City of Kisumu, confirmed that the collapsed building had previously been subjected to enforcement action. He did not provide further details but acknowledged that the incident would be investigated. The incident has sparked concerns over the enforcement of building safety regulations in Kisumu County.
The incident has left many questions unanswered, including why the building was allowed to remain occupied despite previous warnings. An investigation into the incident is expected to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the collapse. For now, the survivors are left to pick up the pieces and wonder why the warnings were not heeded. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of enforcing building safety regulations to prevent such tragedies.
Key points
- The building had previously been flagged by the National Construction Authority (NCA) as unsafe, with an X mark plastered on the building.
- The incident has raised questions over the enforcement of safety warnings and why construction continued despite previous warnings.
- Several nearby buildings had NCA X marks, with some of the markings appearing to have been partially erased or covered.
