NAIROBI, Kenya — Tenants evacuated from a condemned residential building in Riruta Satellite, Nairobi, have been allowed to retrieve their belongings in phases under close supervision as authorities investigate cracks that raised concerns over the property’s structural safety.
Nairobi County Chief Officer for Disaster Management Bramwell Simiyu said access was being coordinated by a multi-agency team involving county and national government officials to prevent residents from exposing themselves to danger.
The controlled exercise follows the evacuation of occupants on Saturday, October 31, after authorities raised concerns about extensive cracks in the ten-storey building along Kabiria Road, Dagoretti South.
Several residents were forced to leave household items behind as they rushed out of the property. Among those affected was tenant John Owino, who was away upcountry when his family contacted him about the emergency evacuation.
By Monday, November 2, the building’s main entrance had been welded shut, with notices from Nairobi City County and the National Construction Authority (NCA) displayed at the premises.
Simiyu said the decision to condemn the property was precautionary as investigations continued to establish the extent of the structural defects and determine whether the building could be safely accessed.
Authorities subsequently organised supervised entry to allow tenants to collect essential possessions without freely entering the premises.
County, NCA issue notices over Riruta building
The evacuation followed enforcement action by Nairobi City County, which declared the property dangerous and ordered occupants to leave.
The county notice stated that the building had been occupied without the required development permission.
A separate notice issued by the NCA on November 2 also directed tenants to vacate the premises, citing dangerous cracks in the structure. The property was identified as Nairobi Block 66/7880, along Kabiria Road in Dagoretti South.
The NCA notice came two days after the initial evacuation, when residents had already vacated the building.
The authorities are expected to establish what caused the cracks, assess the building’s structural condition and determine whether any failures in construction oversight or enforcement contributed to the situation.
The evacuation has affected dozens of households, with reports indicating that approximately 90 families were displaced.
Some residents have expressed concern over the difficulty of accessing household items left inside the building.
Another residential building evacuated in Tassia
The Riruta incident comes amid renewed scrutiny of residential building safety in Nairobi following a series of structural incidents.
Elsewhere in the city, county officials issued an immediate evacuation notice for another residential building in Tassia Estate, near Rapture Church.
Also Read: Tenants evacuate Riruta ten-storey building after wall crack raises safety fears
The latest directive adds to concerns over the safety of occupied residential properties and the enforcement of construction and planning regulations.
Authorities have not yet provided further details about the number of residents affected or the specific structural defects identified at the Tassia property.
Eastleigh rescue operation enters critical phase
Meanwhile, multi-agency teams continued search and rescue operations at the site of the collapsed building in Eastleigh, where the number of people still feared trapped had been revised to 11.
National Disaster Management Unit Director Duncan Ochieng said the figure had reduced from 16 after five people previously reported missing were traced and reunited with their families.
The operation was estimated to be approximately 85 per cent complete, with rescuers concentrating on the remaining sections of the collapsed structure, including areas around the ground floor and basement where people were suspected to have been trapped.
The building collapsed on October 23 while under construction, triggering a prolonged rescue and recovery operation involving several government agencies and emergency responders.
Authorities have urged affected families to remain patient as teams continue clearing debris and verifying information about those still unaccounted for.
The developments in Riruta, Tassia and Eastleigh have brought renewed attention to building safety in Nairobi, particularly the effectiveness of inspections, development approvals and enforcement measures intended to protect residents.
