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South C building collapse: Authority issues update as search for 2 people intensifies
04th January, 2026 04:19 PM
The National Disaster Management Unit Director Duncan Onyango Ochieng has issued an update on the search operation for the South C building that collapsed.
In a statement on Sunday, January 4, 2026, Onyango called on members of the public and all responders without protective gear to keep off the active area.
“Considerable progress has been made today. We ask members of the public and all responders without protective gear to keep off the active area,” Duncan said.
According to reports by the director, two people are still trapped in the rubble.
“We continue to work around the clock with unwavering dedication and professionalism,” he added.
He further added that while progress has been achieved, he emphasised that the progress remains a high-risk operation based on the disaster risk assessment conducted by the team.
South C building collapse
In a two-page statement shared on X, the Association of Construction Managers of Kenya (ACMK) called for a thorough, independent, and multi-agency investigation to establish what went wrong before the structure came down.
The professional body said the tragic incident, which occurred while the building was still under construction, had resulted in loss of lives and injuries, warning that such disasters point to deeper systemic failures within the construction sector.
ACMK stressed that the matter should not be handled casually or selectively.
In its statement, the association noted that investigators must move beyond surface-level conclusions and interrogate the process from planning to execution.
Approvals and designs
According to ACMK, the first area investigators should focus on is whether due processes and statutory approvals were followed.
“Investigations must clearly establish whether approvals and building codes were complied with in the approved building plans submitted for construction,” the statement said in parts.
The association further urged investigators to establish whether the designs were prepared, reviewed, and approved by duly registered and qualified professionals, as required by law.
It warned that shortcuts at the design stage often lay the groundwork for catastrophic failure later.
ACMK also raised concerns over whether the project underwent the full statutory approval process before construction commenced.
“Whether the project underwent the full statutory approval process prior to commencement of construction works must be clearly established,” the statement added.
