KISUMU, May 2026 -Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o has issued a terse warning to county staff responsible for approving and inspecting construction projects.
His comments follow an incident where one person was rescued after a four-storey building under construction collapsed in Tom Mboya Estate on Monday night.
Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday at City Hall, he warned county officers that they will face disciplinary and legal action if found negligent.
“Any officer found neglecting their duty, facilitating non-compliance, overlooking expired approvals, or compromising enforcement procedures will be held personally accountable and subjected to disciplinary and legal proceedings,” Nyong’o said.
In response to the incident, the county has launched intensified inspections across all ongoing construction sites to verify valid approvals and adherence to safety standards.
“The County Government will not tolerate illegal, unsafe, or unregulated construction practices that jeopardise the safety of our citizens,” he warned.
He also commended emergency response teams for their promptness and coordination, urging agencies to maintain close collaboration during future emergencies.
According to a statement issued by the county’s office of the governor, the collapse occurred around 8pm on 11th May 2026. Kisumu County’s Emergency Operations Centre received a distress call at 8:06 pm, and response units arrived within 20 minutes.
Fire engines, ambulances from Kisumu County Referral Hospital, Avenue Hospital, Lisa Hospital, and the Kenya Red Cross were deployed. Inspectorate officers, City Planning officials, and rescue personnel also responded, with an excavator brought in to clear access routes to the site.
Preliminary reports indicated that several people were trapped. Rescue and search operations continued throughout the night. By 3am, officials confirmed only one person had been trapped and successfully rescued despite sustaining crush injuries.
The victim was stabilised at the scene and transferred to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) for further treatment as no fatalities were reported.
Initial investigations revealed that the building’s plans had been approved in 2015. Under Kenyan law, approvals must be reviewed and renewed if construction is not completed within three years. County officials stated this was not done in this particular case.
“We preliminarily suspect structural failure arising from non-compliance with statutory building requirements as the likely cause of the collapse,” the statement read.
During the briefing, the National Construction Authority (NCA) Central Nyanza Coordinator Festus Mariera reiterated their commitment to uphold high standards, compliance and safety across all construction sites in the area.
“The state agency will continue to work closely with the county government,” Mariera said.
Nyong’o also expressed appreciation for emergency response teams and urged agencies to maintain close collaboration during future emergencies. He added that further technical assessments are ongoing, and a comprehensive report will be presented to the public.
