10,000 Unsafe Buildings: NCA to Crack Down on Developers Adding Unauthorised Floors

The National Construction Authority (NCA) has released findings from a nationwide audit of 14,925 buildings. The results show that 10,791 were deemed unsafe while 723 were classified as very dangerous. Only 2,194 structures were found to be safe.

The authority estimates that over 200 people have lost their lives since the first recorded building collapse in 1990. The economy has suffered losses exceeding Sh2.4 billion in investments due to these incidents.

A Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis study attributes 35 per cent of collapses to poor workmanship, 34 per cent to unprofessional conduct by contractors, and 28 per cent to substandard materials.

At least five building owners and 10 government officials have been charged over collapses that killed more than 100 people. Many cases have dragged through the courts for over five years.

NCA Manager for Construction Research and Business Development Dr Eng. Meshack Otieno spoke at the Construction Research and Innovation Dissemination Forum in Nairobi. He highlighted a troubling pattern of developers securing approval for a set number of floors and then quietly adding extra storeys without fresh structural assessments.

Oteno noted that once inspection staff flag violations, the board institutes formal enquiries. Contractors face caution, suspension or deregistration depending on severity. The most serious cases are referred to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

To address root causes, the NCA is developing an inspection manual aligned to the National Building Code 2024. The manual is funded by the World Bank. Alongside this, a repair and maintenance manual is being prepared and mandatory inspections from foundation level through to occupation certificates are being institutionalised.

Oteno also announced plans to establish a contractor development fund. The NCA will approach donors for low-interest loans in the next financial year.

The CRIDF forum will move next to Kisumu, Mombasa, Nyeri and Nakuru. The authority is targeting eventual rollout to all 47 counties.

The latest actions form part of a broader push to improve construction standards and public safety. The NCA has warned developers against unauthorised modifications that compromise structural integrity.