The Investments, Trade, and Industry has defended Kenya’s construction sector following the collapse of a building in Nairobi, saying the incident should not be used to discredit an entire industry.
In a statement on Tuesday, January 13, Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said the construction sector continues to play a central role in the economy, supporting thousands of jobs and offering strong growth potential.
"The construction industry remains a key driver of our economy, supporting thousands of jobs across the value chain. It remains a strategic sector with immense opportunities for growth.
"This outlook is further reinforced by the World Bank economic growth forecast, which points to a pickup in construction activity as a key contributor to improved economic performance," he said.
Kinyanjui acknowledged the Nairobi building collapse but stressed that the incident should not be seen as representative of the entire construction industry.
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He added that the government will engage stakeholders to ensure isolated cases do not damage the sector’s reputation.
"While we regret the recent collapse of a building in Nairobi, this incident must not be construed as a reflection of the entire industry.
"My Ministry will work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that a few failures do not overshadow the greater good," he stated.
Kinyanjui assured that immediate action will be taken to strengthen safety standards and restore public confidence, while working with county governments to improve the operating environment for growth in the sector.
"Stringent and effective measures to safeguard public safety and restore confidence must be undertaken with immediate effect. I will also be liaising with devolved governments to create a more conducive and efficient environment for sustainable growth in the sector," he concluded.
This comes a day after the National Construction Authority (NCA) revealed the circumstances surrounding a deadly building collapse in Karen, Nairobi, that claimed two lives and left several others injured.
In a statement on Sunday, January 11, NCA detailed the timeline of events, the nature of the development, the suspected technical failure, and identified the registered owner of the property.
"The National Construction Authority reports that a construction incident occurred on Saturday, 10th January 2026, at approximately 16:30 p.m. at a site located at Ngong View Lane, Karen Ward, within Lang'ata Sub-County, Nairobi County.
"The incident resulted in two (2) unfortunate fatalities, two (2) critically injured persons, and seven (7) others with minor injuries. All injured persons were promptly evacuated to a nearby hospital for medical attention," the statement read.
The authority explained that the collapsed structure was a low-rise residential project that was still under construction at the time.
"The project is a proposed one (1) storey residential development that was under construction at the time of the incident. The occurrence took place during concrete casting works at the carport area of the structure," the statement added.
According to NCA, preliminary findings showed that a failure in temporary structural support systems is suspected, and the property owner has since been identified.
"Preliminary assessments indicate a suspected failure of the formwork system, which collapsed under the load of fresh concrete. The registered owner of the plot is indicated as Moses Nyakiongora," the statement continued.
On emergency response and site security, the authority said rescue operations were completed swiftly and the area remains restricted.
"The Authority, in collaboration with emergency response teams, was on site shortly after the incident occurred. Rescue operations were concluded last evening, and the area remains secured and cordoned off," the statement concluded.
