18 people have so far been arrested in Mombasa County following an intensified crackdown on unauthorized construction that violates established regulations.
According to reports, county enforcement officers apprehended contractors and builders for failing to comply with construction standards and building codes.
Among the enforcement actions taken, officials demolished a construction gate illegally erected on a public road just meters from the ocean, demonstrating the county’s commitment to reclaiming public spaces from unauthorized development.
Mohamed Hussein, the County Executive Committee Member for Lands and Urban Planning, revealed that several private developers have been consistently violating building regulations across the county.
The violations include unauthorized additions to existing structures, such as extra floors and rooftop swimming pools.
According to Hussein, these unapproved modifications have resulted in structural weaknesses, with some buildings developing cracks and others collapsing entirely.
The Mombasa crackdown comes amid mounting concerns over building safety nationwide. Earlier this month, on January 10, two people lost their lives when a structure under construction in Karen, Nairobi, came crashing down.
Nairobi County’s Built Environment and Urban Planning executive, Patrick Mbogo, reported that emergency teams, working alongside the National Disaster Management Unit and the Kenya Red Cross, rescued seven people from the rubble with injuries. However, two victims died from severe crush injuries sustained in the collapse.
Despite the recent incidents, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade, and Industry Lee Kinyanjui has defended Kenya’s construction sector, urging the public not to judge the entire industry based on isolated failures.
In a statement issued on January 13, Kinyanjui emphasized that construction remains vital to the economy, sustaining numerous jobs and offering significant growth opportunities.
He cited World Bank economic forecasts indicating that increased construction activity would be a major contributor to improved economic performance.
While acknowledging the Nairobi tragedy, the CS stressed that such incidents should not define the sector as a whole.
Kinyanjui committed to implementing stringent safety measures immediately to restore public confidence and announced plans to coordinate with county governments to create better conditions for sustainable growth in the construction sector.
