- The 18-storey building in Eastleigh collapsed on 23 October 2026, just seven weeks after NCA's current leadership team took charge
- A multi-agency investigation announced by CS Kipchumba Murkomen has placed NCA's registration and compliance functions at the centre of accountability questions
- Police have warned that the building's owner and those who authorised its construction could face criminal negligence charges
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NAIROBI: Seven weeks after NCA's current senior management team took up their posts, a partially built 18-storey structure in Eastleigh, Nairobi, came down on October 23, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
The officials now answering hard questions about contractor registration, on-site compliance and quality oversight are the same individuals who had barely settled into their roles when the disaster struck.
At the top of the authority is Susan C. Rutto, who has served as Acting Executive Director, Registrar of Contractors and Secretary to the Board since 4 September 2026. She stepped into the acting role after the departure of Maurice Akech and has been the authority's most visible spokesperson since the collapse.
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Under her leadership, the NCA identified 9th Street Plaza Limited as the developer, Stromax Holdings E.A. Limited as the contractor, and Emmanuel Mwangi Maina together with Joseph Muturi Mugu as the project's architect and structural engineer, respectively.
The project was registered with the NCA on 30 July 2025 on Land Reference Number 36/11/40. Rutto has firmly stated that NCA registration does not constitute county construction approval.
That distinction has become one of the most contested points in the unfolding accountability debate. Nairobi county has indicated the building lacked valid construction approval, a position that directly conflicts with the existence of an NCA registration.
Two officials sit at the intersection of that contradiction: Raymond Karani, manager for registration, whose office processed the project's entry into the authority's records, and Arch. Stephen Mwilu, manager for compliance, whose unit is responsible for post-registration monitoring and enforcement.
Alongside them, Paul Gesora, as manager for quality assurance and planning, oversees the internal systems that are supposed to ensure regulatory processes hold up consistently, while Samson Lukoba, corporation secretary and head of legal, advises on enforcement powers and the precise legal boundaries between NCA registration and county approvals.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced a multi-agency investigation bringing together the NCA, county inspectors and the housing ministry.
Police have warned that the building's owner and individuals who authorised its construction could face criminal negligence charges.
Rounding out the senior team are CPA James Kilonzi as General Manager for Corporate Services; Christine Kirimi managing finance; CHRP Paul Kariuki overseeing human resources; CHRP Daniel Kemei handling administration; Vincensia Apopa leading supply chain; Chrispus S. Ndinyo as General Manager for Construction Research, Business Development and Capacity Building; Meshack O. Otieno supporting research and business development; Juliet Kabere heading training and capacity building; and Wangui Kabala managing corporate communications, including all official statements issued since the collapse.
The NCA has pledged further updates as investigations continue.
For the officials named above, the scrutiny is institutional: whether the authority's regulatory machinery, from registration through to compliance and enforcement, is capable of preventing disasters in densely populated urban areas like Eastleigh.
Source: TUKO.co.ke