Another building has come down. The collapse in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area has left grieving families, displaced residents and a nation asking the same difficult question it asks after every such tragedy: could this have been prevented?
Each time, the rubble leaves behind more than broken concrete and twisted steel – it leaves a demand for answers. As investigations continue, Kenya must look beyond the immediate causes of individual incidents and examine the systems through which buildings are planned, approved, constructed and monitored.
Project Governance Must Be Part of the Conversation
I believe this conversation must include project governance, a critical but often overlooked dimension. Construction involves developers, financiers, architects, engineers, contractors, project managers and regulators. Each has defined responsibilities, but safety depends on how effectively these responsibilities are coordinated, monitored and enforced throughout a project’s lifecycle.
Even a project that begins with sound designs and the necessary approvals can become dangerous when construction deviates from approved plans, changes are made without proper assessment, quality concerns are ignored or commercial pressures override safety requirements. This is where effective project management becomes essential.
Scores injured as building collapses in OTC Nairobi
Project Management Is a Safeguard for Human Life
Scope management ensures that construction remains within approved designs. Change control prevents unauthorised alterations. Quality assurance verifies that materials and workmanship meet required standards. Risk management identifies threats early enough for corrective action. These are not administrative exercises. They are safeguards for human life.
Kenya cannot measure the effectiveness of its construction oversight framework simply by the existence of regulations, licences and inspection procedures. We must also establish whether these safeguards remain effective as projects progress from design to construction and occupation.
The South C Collapse Raises Critical Questions
The January 2026 South C building collapse illustrates this challenge. According to findings reported by the National Construction Authority (NCA), four additional floors had been constructed beyond the approved 12-storey design.
This raises a fundamental question: how do we ensure that what is built remains consistent with what was approved, and that dangerous deviations are identified before lives are put at risk?
The answer requires stronger coordination between regulators, county governments and built-environment professionals. It also demands clear accountability for decisions, reliable documentation of design changes, effective inspections and consequences where violations are established.
5 storey Kiambu building collapses hours after tenants evacuated
Three Reforms Can Make Construction Safer
Three reforms can make construction safer: monitor what is built, manage risk continuously, and hold the entire delivery chain accountable.
First, strengthen end-to-end project compliance monitoring. Every significant development should have a verifiable record of approved designs, authorised changes, inspection findings, corrective actions and final occupancy clearance. Digital systems can improve transparency and help regulators identify discrepancies earlier.
Second, make risk management a continuous process. Risk management must become a continuous process rather than a document prepared to satisfy procedural requirements. Project teams should maintain active risk registers, establish clear escalation procedures and act promptly when structural concerns, poor workmanship or deviations from approved plans emerge. Serious safety concerns must trigger appropriate intervention, including suspension of work where required, until the risks are addressed.
Third, enforce accountability across the project delivery chain. Developers must prioritise safety alongside cost and timelines. Contractors must comply with approved designs. Consultants must fulfil their professional obligations, while regulators need the capacity and independence to enforce standards. Where negligence or misconduct is established, appropriate legal and professional consequences must follow.
Ruaka building collapses over home, family trapped inside
Transparency and Enforcement Must Support Reform
These measures should be supported by transparent reporting on inspections, violations and enforcement outcomes. The public deserves evidence that safety standards are being implemented, not merely assurances that regulations exist.
Successful Projects Must Prioritise Safety
Project management is often associated with delivering projects on time and within budget. But successful delivery also requires ethical leadership, responsible decision-making, risk management and protection of stakeholders. A building delivered on schedule is not a successful project if it compromises human safety. Savings achieved by bypassing essential safeguards are not efficiencies. They transfer unacceptable risks to workers, residents and surrounding communities.
This principle applies equally to housing, schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure. The quality of project governance influences whether investments deliver their intended benefits safely and sustainably. As a professional community, we must promote a culture in which integrity is non-negotiable, concerns can be escalated without fear and commercial pressures never override legitimate safety requirements.
Kenya Must Turn Building Collapses Into Actionable Lessons
Kenya cannot afford to respond to every building collapse with public outrage followed by another cycle of investigations and promises. Each incident must generate actionable lessons, measurable reforms and sustained oversight.
We owe this to construction workers, families, businesses and communities whose lives depend on responsible development. Kenya has the expertise to build. Our challenge is to ensure that every project is governed with the discipline, accountability and commitment to safety that human life demands.
About the author
Maureen Ochang is a distinguished leader in project, programme and portfolio management, with a proven track record of delivering strategic initiatives within budget, on schedule and to the highest quality standards.
She has successfully managed a strategic project portfolio valued at KSh 2.3 billion, delivering projects within established customer quality and risk thresholds while achieving 16% in budget savings. Through a strong focus on strategic alignment and benefits realisation, she has helped her organisation achieve 149% of its targeted annual benefits.
Maureen has also spearheaded agile transformations that have accelerated project execution and enabled faster value creation. Her commitment to robust governance has contributed to a 100% governance score, reflecting her emphasis on accountability, risk management and disciplined project oversight.
A strong advocate for continuous improvement and professional development, she has supported the development of organisational capabilities, with 67% of her team attaining Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications and 83% achieving Prosci Change Management certifications.
Her contributions to project delivery and benefits management have earned her multiple awards for excellence. Maureen combines strategic vision, operational discipline and a commitment to professional excellence to strengthen organisational performance and deliver sustainable business value.
