NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 21 – The National Construction Authority (NCA) has confirmed that all tenants of the Kahawa West building that collapsed on Sunday had been evacuated prior to the incident.
The building, located on Plot No. 223 along Station Road in Kahawa West, collapsed at approximately 12:30 PM on Sunday.
In a statement, NCA Executive Director Maurice Akech revealed that the Multi-Sectoral Agency Consultative Committee (MSACC) had issued an enforcement order for the evacuation on Wednesday, October 16.
“The MSACC team, comprising the National Construction Authority, the Nairobi City County Government, the National Building Inspectorate, the Ministry of the Interior, the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors, the Engineers Board of Kenya, Kenya Bureau of Standards, the National Youth Service, and the National Disaster Management Unit, had condemned the building,” the statement read.
Akech added that NCA, along with other agencies, is on the ground to assess the situation, determine if there are any casualties, and conduct necessary rescue efforts.
According to NCA, the building had been condemned on Wednesday, with the owner instructed to submit a structural integrity report within 14 days. However, the building collapsed before the report was provided.
“All tenants were evacuated from the building, and the owner was directed to provide a structural integrity report within 14 days. Unfortunately, the building collapsed before this could be done,” Akech stated.
