All county building inspectors involved in the construction of a condemned 10-storey building in Mombasa have been sent on compulsory leave, pending investigations into possible negligence and malpractice.
The building, which had sunk and developed major structural defects, was declared unsafe and demolished in a controlled operation by the Kenya Defence Forces on Wednesday afternoon.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has also suspended all ongoing building extension approvals across the county until investigations are complete.
Speaking on Wednesday, Nassir announced the formation of a multi-agency taskforce to investigate the construction of the condemned building, located on Plot No. XLVI/195/MI, off Abdel Nasser Road in Mvita.
Through Executive Order No. 4 of 2025, the governor appointed Architect Laurence Gitau from the National Building Inspectorate to chair the taskforce.
The taskforce will include representatives from National Building Inspectorate, Engineers Board of Kenya, National Construction Authority, Directorate of Criminal Investigations– Mombasa, Kenya Institute of Planners – Coastal Chapter, Board of Registered Architects and Quantity Surveyors and Architectural Association of Kenya.
Nassir directed the Mombasa county secretary to designate a secretariat to support the taskforce's operations.
“All county departments, agencies and officers have been directed to provide full cooperation and furnish any records, documents or other relevant information to the taskforce,” Nassir said.
The Gitau-led team will audit all buildings constructed by the same developer, contractor, project engineer and architect.
“The taskforce is also mandated to suspend all ongoing construction by the same parties at other sites,” the governor said.
In addition, the taskforce will identify any breaches of law, ethics, or procedures and recommend disciplinary, legal, or administrative action against culpable officers or firms.
“It will also propose reforms to strengthen construction oversight and prevent similar incidents in the future,” Nassir added.
The county Treasury has been instructed to allocate adequate funding and logistical support for the taskforce, which is expected to submit its final report within 14 days.
Valued at over Sh200 million, the building was brought down after showing signs of collapse due to severe structural and foundational defects.
Preliminary investigations revealed it had already begun sinking following the digging of an unauthorised borehole near its foundation. KDF officers carried out the demolition using explosives—a move that many Mombasa residents viewed as extremely risky.
After more than four hours of meticulous planning, the building was brought down with a single, powerful blast at approximately 1:55pm on Wednesday. Within seconds, the structure crumbled.
