Nairobi, Kenya | November 1, 2026

A total of 156 tenants have been evacuated from a ten-storey residential building in Riruta Satellite, Nairobi, after a significant crack developed in the structure, raising concerns over its safety.

The incident occurred in the Kwa Maji area of Kabiria, Dagoretti South, after tenants reportedly heard a loud bang on the seventh floor before discovering the crack on one of the building’s walls.

Residents raised the alarm and contacted Riruta Police Station and Nairobi City County officials, who responded to the scene to assess the condition of the building.

County planning engineers inspected the premises and subsequently declared the structure unsafe, directing all occupants to vacate immediately.

The evacuation was completed without reported injuries, although tenants were forced to leave their homes at short notice. While some managed to secure alternative accommodation, others were left searching for places to stay and seeking access to belongings that remained inside the building.

An enforcement notice issued by Nairobi City County identified the property as Nairobi Block 66/7880, located along Kabiria Road in Riruta Ward, Dagoretti South Sub-County.

The county described the development as a dangerous and ruinous permanent structure comprising 10 occupied levels.

According to the notice, the building was allegedly developed without the required planning permission and was not compliant with the Physical and Land Use Planning Act No. 13 of 2019, the Building Code 2024 and other applicable regulations.

Residents were ordered to vacate the premises, while the county directed that the structure be removed. Authorities warned that failure to comply could result in enforcement action, with any costs incurred recoverable from the responsible parties as a civil debt.

Police officers remained at the scene to secure the premises and prevent unauthorised access as further assessments continued.

The exact cause of the cracks had not been established by the time of the latest reports. A detailed structural assessment will be required to determine the extent of the damage and establish whether other sections of the building have also been compromised.

The evacuation comes barely a week after a building under construction collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi, trapping people and triggering a major multi-agency rescue operation.

The two incidents have renewed concerns over construction standards, planning approvals and enforcement in Nairobi’s rapidly expanding residential neighbourhoods.

For the affected tenants, the immediate challenge is finding alternative accommodation and recovering essential belongings while authorities determine the building’s structural condition and the next course of action.

Further assessments are expected to establish the building’s approval status, the extent of the structural damage and whether any individuals or entities will face enforcement action over the development.