- Geoffrey Mosiria received a rousing welcome from a huge crowd when he arrived at the Eastleigh building collapse scene
- The former Nairobi chief officer was carried on a boda boda as residents shouted his name, with some chanting “governor”
- Mosiria criticised City Hall's construction oversight and alleged corruption in building approvals following the collapse
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Harry Ivan Mboto is a Current Affairs and Politics Editor at TUKO.co.ke, covering general news. Mboto has five years of journalism experience and joined TUKO.co.ke in 2024
Former Nairobi County Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria received a rousing welcome from a huge crowd as he arrived at the scene of the Eastleigh building collapse, with residents shouting his name and some chanting “governor”.
Source: Facebook
Videos from the scene showed crowds gathering around Mosiria as he made his way through the packed area, with members of the public clearing a path for him.
At one point, the crowd lifted Mosiria shoulder-high as he struggled to move through the packed scene before he was later carried on a boda boda, with excited residents following him amid ongoing rescue operations.
Why was Geoffrey Mosiria fired by Sakaja?
The warm reception came at a politically significant moment for Mosiria, who recently declared his intention to challenge his former boss, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, for the county's top seat in the 2027 General Election.
Mosiria's appearance at the scene came two days after Sakaja removed him from his position as Chief Officer for Public Participation, Citizen Engagement and Customer Service in a county government reshuffle announced on Wednesday, October 21.
The county did not publicly state a specific reason for his removal.
Since his removal, Mosiria has continued to criticise aspects of City Hall's leadership and insisted that he wants to see changes in how Nairobi is governed.
What did Mosiria say about the Eastleigh building collapse?
In a statement following the incident, Mosiria expressed sympathy for those feared trapped beneath the rubble and their families, calling for responsible leadership, accountability and stronger protection of human life.
He argued that the collapse raised serious questions about corruption, impunity and the enforcement of construction regulations within Nairobi City County.
Mosiria also recalled his time in the Environment Department, alleging that he had faced hostility when attempting to stop what he described as illegal excavation and construction activities.
He claimed that two Environment officers were suspended after intervening in an excavation in Roysambu and South C, and alleged that a building later collapsed in South C, killing three people. Mosiria said he had evidence relating to the events and was prepared to present it through the appropriate channels.
The former chief officer further alleged that some developers had raised concerns about the cost of obtaining building approvals, claiming that payments could reach KSh56 million or more, with some foreign developers allegedly paying KSh92 million or higher. These claims have not been independently verified.
"I have information alleging that some developers spend millions of shillings to obtain building approvals, with figures reportedly reaching at least KSh 56 million and, in the case of some foreign developers, Chinese and others, KSh 92 million or more. These allegations must be independently investigated, and anyone found engaging in corruption must be held accountable," Mosiria said.
He called for building approvals to be based on professional assessments and safety standards rather than political influence, and appealed to President William Ruto to intervene by supporting independent investigations and stronger enforcement of construction regulations.
The Eastleigh collapse prompted an emergency response, with rescue teams searching for people feared trapped beneath the debris.
Source: TUKO.co.ke