Kisumu launches probe after multi-storey building collapse leaves one injured
By Viola Kosome, May 12, 2026A multi-agency emergency team has launched investigations after a multi-storey building collapsed on Monday evening in Tom Mboya Estate, Kisumu County.
Speaking to members of the press on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the Kisumu Governor, Anyang’ Nyong’o, linked the incident to non-compliance with statutory building regulations.
On his part, the County boss confirmed that initial findings indicate that although the original building plans had been approved in 2015, the approvals were not renewed as required by law.
Further explaining the requirement for approvals after the project exceeded the three-year construction period.
“Our initial findings indicate that although the original building plans had been approved in 2015, the approvals were not renewed as required by law after the project exceeded the three-year construction period,” he said.
Nyong’o noted that the county government belives that the structural failure is linked to non-compliance with building standards, although comprehensive technical investigations are still ongoing.
“Let me state this firmly that the County Government will not tolerate illegal, unsafe or unregulated construction practices that place the lives of our people at risk,” he warned.
The governor further directed county enforcement officers to intensify inspections across all ongoing construction sites within Kisumu to ensure developers comply with approved standards and safety regulations.
He also warned county officers tasked with approving and inspecting buildings against negligence or collusion.
“Any officer found neglecting duty, facilitating non-compliance or overlooking expired approvals will be held personally accountable and subjected to disciplinary and legal action,” said Nyong’o.
Meanwhile, investigators are expected to examine whether construction defects, material failure, design flaws, or non-compliance with regulatory standards contributed to the incident.
The incident
The building came down at around 8:00 p.m, sending residents fleeing for safety.
According to the County Government of Kisumu, emergency teams responded within minutes after a distress call was received at the Emergency Operations Centre at exactly 8:06 pm.
Fire engines, ambulances from Kisumu County Referral Hospital, Avenue Hospital and Lisa Hospital, alongside personnel from the Kenya Red Cross, were dispatched to the scene as rescue efforts commenced.
Inspectorate officers, officials from the City Planning Department and rescue teams joined the operation, which stretched through the night amid fears that more people could have been trapped beneath the debris.
Residents who gathered at the scene watched anxiously as rescue teams combed through the rubble in search of survivors.
County officials later confirmed that only one person had been trapped beneath the rubble. The casualty was rescued at around 3:00 am after hours of painstaking operations carried out by emergency response teams working through the night.
The victim, who sustained crush injuries, was stabilised at the scene before being rushed to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital for specialised treatment.