The seven-storey building that crumbled in South C, trapping victims and shocking the nation, was a monument to criminal greed. Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has confirmed that the developer illegally added four extra floors to a structure approved for only three.

In a stinging indictment of Nairobi’s rogue development culture, CS Wahome revealed that the original approval was for a modest residential unit. However, driven by the desire to maximize rental income, the developer brazenly stacked additional concrete onto a foundation designed for half the weight. The result was a catastrophic structural failure that has now claimed lives.

The "Envelopes" Culture

Wahome’s revelation raises uncomfortable questions for Nairobi County and the National Construction Authority (NCA). How does a four-storey extension go unnoticed in a busy neighborhood?

• Regulatory Blindness: Residents claim they reported the construction at night, but enforcement officers were allegedly paid off to look the other way. "The officers come, take envelopes, and leave," a neighbor told reporters.
• The Architect's Fate: The government has signaled it will deregister the architect and engineer involved if found culpable. However, critics argue that professional bodies rarely enforce such sanctions effectively.
• Systemic Rot: This incident mirrors past tragedies in Huruma and Pipeline, where impunity allowed death traps to be occupied. The CS has promised a crackdown, but for the families of the victims, it is too little, too late.

A Warning to Tenants

The tragedy serves as a grim warning to Nairobi tenants: that "spacious apartment" might be a tomb in waiting. The government is now urging residents to demand occupation certificates before moving into new buildings—a safeguard often ignored in the rush for affordable housing.