Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan has urged Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to dismantle the county’s planning department, accusing it of corruption and weak oversight following the collapse of a multi-storey building in Eastleigh.
Speaking on Monday, October 26, 2026, after visiting the site along 9th Street, Hassan challenged Sakaja to overhaul the department during his remaining 10 months in office to prevent similar disasters.
“I want to call upon my brother that for the remaining 10 months, please rescue your situation by abolishing, by completely dismantling the planning department before we get more disasters like this,” Hassan said.
The building collapsed on Friday, October 23, leaving at least 47 people feared trapped beneath the rubble.
Four people have been rescued, while the Chinese search-and-rescue team Blue Sky Rescue (USAR) reportedly detected two people alive in the basement.
Hassan praised rescue teams, including the Kenya Red Cross, National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces and volunteers, while calling for faster clearance of roads around the site to allow businesses to resume operations.
He also urged the government to strengthen construction oversight, disaster preparedness and emergency response services.
Meanwhile, Sakaja said county records showed that an application to construct a 15-storey building with a basement had been rejected, despite an earlier approval for change of use in 2024.
The governor said documents had been forwarded to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate the developer, construction professionals and public officers who may have breached building regulations.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has separately directed the DCI to investigate the collapse and establish whether criminal charges should be brought against anyone involved.
The ODPP said Nairobi County had not submitted an inquiry file on the construction, adding that investigators would examine the roles of county officials, the developer, contractors and other professionals involved in the project.
