CS Murkomen Reveals Number of Workers Missing as Rescue Continues

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has provided new details about the collapse of a building under construction in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area, as emergency teams continue searching for people believed to be trapped beneath the debris.

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, October 23, along 9th Street in Eastleigh, within Kamukunji Sub-County. The collapse triggered an emergency response involving several government agencies and humanitarian organisations.

In an update issued later that evening, Murkomen disclosed that 67 construction workers had been present at the site when the structure came down. He said 66 managed to escape without injuries, while another worker was taken to hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.

However, the government also received reports that seven people who may have been working or operating inside the building were missing.

According to the Interior CS, rescuers had established contact with some of the missing individuals, while efforts continued to reach anyone who might still be buried under the rubble.

The Kenya Red Cross had separately reported that two injured people were transported to Kenyatta National Hospital. It also announced that 26 people who had earlier been reported missing had been traced and accounted for. The available updates did not clearly establish how that figure related to the seven people mentioned by Murkomen.

The rescue operation has brought together personnel from the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service, Nairobi City County, the National Youth Service, the Kenya Red Cross and other agencies.

Meanwhile, questions are emerging about the building’s compliance with construction and occupancy requirements. Murkomen stated that the structure had 11 shops on the ground floor and that its basement was occupied when the incident occurred. He also indicated that the building reportedly lacked an occupation certificate.

The National Construction Authority confirmed that the property had been registered with the agency on July 30, 2025. The authority said it had identified the registered developer and contractor as preliminary investigations continued.

Nairobi Police Commander Issa Mohamud had earlier indicated that officers were searching for the building’s owner, although it was not immediately clear whether the search had resulted in an arrest or the owner’s location being established.

Authorities have yet to determine what caused the structure to collapse. Murkomen said the relevant national and county government agencies, working with professional bodies, would investigate the incident and ensure that anyone found responsible was held accountable.

As rescue operations continue, attention remains focused on locating the missing people and establishing whether construction or safety failures contributed to the tragedy.

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