- A distressed building in Mamboleo is set for controlled demolition after safety concerns
- Authorities have put measures in place to protect residents and neighbouring properties
- Engineers will examine parts of the structure after demolition to establish what went wrong
Authorities in Kisumu County have cleared the way for the controlled demolition of a distressed residential building in Mamboleo, a week after the structure began showing signs of imminent collapse.
The multi-storey building sits on L.R. No. 21602 near Jomo Kenyatta Stadium. Kisumu County Commissioner Mohamed Ramadhan Mwabudzo announced the decision during a press briefing, explaining that a joint team drawn from the County Security Committee, the National Construction Authority (NCA) and Kisumu City Management had carried out a detailed inspection of the property.
Following the assessment, he said, regulators concluded that the safest course of action was a controlled takedown of the structure, and the necessary clearances and paperwork have since been finalised.
Civil Scope Engineering Limited has been contracted to carry out the demolition using controlled methods, including licensed explosive techniques, to bring the building down safely and protect neighbouring properties. The exercise is expected to take place within 48 hours.
The building’s developer, Samuel Angira, has already secured the required approvals from the NCA, Kisumu City Management and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to proceed.
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Residents and property owners within a radius of 500 metres to one kilometre have been alerted ahead of the operation. Officials scheduled the demolition for midday, when most residents are typically away at work, in a bid to reduce risk to vulnerable people in the area.
Engineers also plan to retain the lower 1.2 metres of the building’s foundation, along with core structural samples, to support further technical assessment once the structure comes down.
County officials moved to calm public concern, confirming that the earlier structural failure did not result in any severe casualties. A handful of people who suffered minor injuries received treatment and have since been discharged.
Rescue teams have already helped tenants retrieve more than 85 per cent of their belongings from the building, with the remaining items set to be collected before demolition begins. The landlord has also refunded security deposits to affected tenants.
NCA Regional Coordinator for the Central Nyanza region, Architect Festus Mariera, used the briefing to caution developers against bypassing professional standards. Covering Kisumu, Siaya and Homa Bay counties, he stressed that construction projects should always involve accredited engineers, architects and quantity surveyors rather than unregistered site managers.
Mariera also clarified that an “X” mark on a building does not automatically mean it faces demolition. In most cases, he said, it flags outstanding paperwork or regulatory gaps that developers are required to correct, and only buildings found to pose an active danger are targeted for immediate enforcement action.
On the question of accountability for the Mamboleo building, he said a technical committee has been formed to examine all relevant documents and establish where liability lies.
By Benedict Aoya
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