South C residents demand safety audits after fatal building collapse

Operations at Ardhi House were briefly paralyzed on Monday morning as residents from Nairobi's South C estate staged a demonstration. The group, organized under the South C Residents Association, is demanding urgent government intervention following a fatal building collapse earlier this year.

The protesters gathered outside the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, seeking an audience with Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome. The focus of their grievance remains a 16-storey building along Muhoho Avenue that collapsed in January, resulting in the deaths of two people.

Residents expressed frustration over what they described as deafening silence from the government regarding the investigation findings. Although President Ruto's administration previously pledged a nationwide compliance audit, the association claims no reports have been made public.

The demonstration also highlighted immediate risks posed by adjacent structures. Specifically, the group raised alarms over the safety of Bridge Port Apartments, a 15-storey building located on Plot LR No. 209/5909/9. They allege this project was originally approved for only 10 floors.

According to the protesters, the Bridge Port Apartments sustained visible structural damage to its pillars during the January collapse nearby. They are now demanding either a formal public safety certification or an immediate demolition order for the structure to prevent another disaster.

A version of this article appeared on Citizen Digital. The residents are pushing for the blacklisting of rogue developers and professionals involved in these projects. They have specifically called for criminal proceedings against the developer, Abyan Consulting Limited, along with relevant county officials and consultants.

In a formal statement, the association gave the Ministry a seven-day ultimatum to publish the multi-agency inquiry report. This report involves the National Construction Authority, the Engineers Board of Kenya, and the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors.

Safety concerns in South C are not new, as the association notes it has repeatedly flagged illegal extensions. They claim enforcement agencies allowed construction to continue despite multiple violation notices issued throughout 2025.

The residents warned that the culture of impunity among developers is placing thousands of lives at risk. They argued that the tragedy in January was foreseeable and resulted from sustained regulatory failure by the Nairobi City County Government.

As the protest moved from Ardhi House toward Uhuru Park, community leaders emphasized that they do not oppose development. They stated, however, that they will no longer tolerate developments that bypass zoning, density, and height guidelines within their neighborhood.