DPP Demands Immediate Files on Delayed South C Building Collapse Probe

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, has expressed formal frustration over the continued failure of the National Police Service to provide investigation findings into the South C building collapse. In a letter dated March 27, 2026, and marked as very urgent, the DPP issued a second reminder to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, citing a near-total lack of progress on the case.

The incident in question occurred on January 2, 2026, when a 16-story building in the South C area of Nairobi came down in a pancake-style collapse. The tragedy resulted in at least two confirmed fatalities, including a security guard whose body was recovered after a 60-hour search operation involving the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Disaster Management Unit.

Records from the National Construction Authority indicate that the project, developed by Abyan Consulting Limited, was non-compliant at the time of the disaster. The building had reportedly been flagged three times by Nairobi City County enforcement teams between May and December 2025, after the developer allegedly extended construction beyond the approved number of floors.

The correspondence from the DPP reveals a series of ignored deadlines. The initial directive, issued on January 5, 2026, ordered police to record statements from the developer, the contractor, and members of the Nairobi City County technical committee. These files were meant to be submitted within seven days, but the deadline passed without a response.

A subsequent follow-up sent on February 9, 2026, gave the Inspector General an additional three days to forward the documents. More than a month after that second communication, the DPP states that no files have reached his desk. The latest letter gives the police a fresh three-day ultimatum to hand over the investigation materials to the ODPP.

President Ruto has previously emphasized the need for strict adherence to building codes to prevent such urban disasters. The locals in South C have also voiced concerns over the slow pace of justice, as the site remains a stark reminder of the regulatory failures that preceded the collapse.

The investigations are expected to focus on whether public or private individuals enabled the unsafe construction. This includes officials responsible for approvals, inspections, and enforcement who may have looked the other way as the building rose to 16 floors despite being flagged for violations.

The DPP has recently been vocal about delays within investigative agencies, previously noting similar issues with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority. For the families of the victims in South C, the wait for a formal prosecution continues to hinge on the submission of these police files.