Several Buildings Fail Safety Test Across Kenya And Thousands Of Lives Hang In The Balance

A new report has revealed that more than half of the buildings inspected across Kenya do not meet construction standards. The quality audit by the State Department for Public Works was tabled in Parliament and it has raised fears for thousands of people who live or work in such buildings.

Of the 21,282 buildings checked between July 1 2025 and April 2 2026 only 9,264 were found safe. That is 43.53 percent. The other 12,018 failed to follow the law. Kenya has recorded 100 building collapses since 1996 and eight have happened this year alone. This is the highest number in one year.

Nairobi recently saw a building collapse in Eastleigh. The city had a compliance rate of 57 percent with 2,261 of 3,908 sites meeting the rules. The former Western region did best at 77 percent. North Eastern did worst at only five percent with just 11 of 220 sites cleared to continue.

Upper Eastern recorded 14 percent while Central Rift Valley had 18.38 percent. The Coast had 20.25 percent and Central Nyanza had 20.68 percent. Mount Kenya stood at 65 percent.

The report blames poor design and weak materials. It says some developers use too little cement on weak soils to cut costs. It also says untrained people pose as engineers and architects and sell building plans to investors. Some contractors hire unskilled workers and ignore approved drawings.

The National Construction Authority can stop unsafe projects and mark them with a red X. Owners get 14 days to fix problems or face court. Anyone who defies an inspector can be jailed for three years or fined Sh1 million. Yet only 15 cases had succeeded by March 31 2026. The report urges stronger investigations and prosecutions so offenders are held to account.

https://x.com/taifa_leo/status/2116409844240707763?s=46

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