Category: Society

A second body has been recovered from the rubble of a collapsed building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, as search-and-rescue operations continue.

The National Police Service (NPS) in a statement on Tuesday said that a multi-agency team retrieved the body of a woman from the site, bringing the number of recovered bodies to two.

Four people have so far been rescued alive from the rubble, according to the police.

In a statement, the NPS said it continued to support the ongoing rescue operation and extended its condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

The Service also wished those injured a quick and full recovery.

Police urged members of the public to keep away from the affected site to allow emergency responders, rescue personnel and specialised equipment to operate without interference.

The multi-agency team is continuing to clear the remaining debris in an effort to establish whether more people are trapped.

The NPS said it would issue further updates as new developments emerge.

The latest recovery comes 11 days after the multi-storey building under construction collapsed along 9th Street in Eastleigh on October 23, trapping workers and people who may have been inside the premises.

The first body, also that of a woman, was recovered on Friday, October 30, eight days after the incident. The discovery came as rescue teams intensified efforts to access the lower sections of the structure, particularly the basement, where some missing people were believed to be trapped.

The operation has faced challenges as rescuers work through tonnes of concrete and other debris to reach sections of the building that remain inaccessible.

As of November 1, about 85 per cent of the debris had been cleared, with 16 people still unaccounted for following a verification exercise by the Kenya Red Cross and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Nairobi North County Commissioner Simon Osumba said investigators had used mobile phone data to establish that nine of the missing individuals were at the building shortly before it collapsed.

The collapse also triggered investigations into possible breaches of construction regulations and failures in building supervision.

The Director of Public Prosecutions directed the DCI to investigate possible negligence, omissions or misconduct by public officials, developers and construction professionals involved in the project.

Investigators are expected to establish whether the building had the necessary approvals, was properly inspected and complied with construction safety requirements.

The NPS said the multi-agency team remained committed to the search-and-rescue operation and would issue further updates as new developments emerged.

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed Amin has denied claims that police officers were involved in the alleged abduction of Nairobi lawyer Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi.

Amin said a team of investigators has already been constituted to establish what happened.

He said the National Police Service (NPS) had received a report concerning the lawyer’s disappearance and was committed to investigating the incident.

Speaking during the launch of the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) Strategic Plan 2026–2030, Amin maintained that the police were not party to the alleged abduction.

“Yes, it is true we have received a report. We have constituted a team of competent officers to undertake investigations,” Amin said.

He called on the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to share any information it may have concerning Abdi’s disappearance to help expedite the investigations.

“We are inviting LSK. Please, should you be having any information relating to the disappearance of the lawyer, share with us. If you do not trust the NPS, share it with other oversight bodies,” he said.

Amin further defended the police service, saying all arrests conducted by its officers were governed by the Constitution, the Criminal Procedure Code and NPS Standing Orders.

“Every arrest by NPS officers is governed by the Constitution and Criminal Procedure Code, as well as NPS Standing Orders,” he said.

He added that suspects arrested by police were processed at police stations and presented in court within the constitutionally stipulated 24 hours, where they were accorded their rights.

Amin also said the DCI's records were open to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and other oversight institutions, urging anyone with information about the missing lawyer to come forward.

Abdi went missing following a suspected abduction incident involving armed, masked men along Muchai Road, off Ngong Road, in Nairobi, in the early hours of November 1, 2026.

According to court documents, the lawyer was last seen at around 4am when unknown individuals, allegedly armed with guns and dressed in tactical military gear, forced him to kneel before bundling him into a black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado TX.

The motive behind the incident remains unknown, while his family has appealed for his safe release.

His brother, Zakaria Abshir, has since moved to the Milimani High Court seeking urgent intervention through a habeas corpus application.

The application seeks orders compelling security agencies to produce Abdi before court and explain his whereabouts.

The disappearance has raised concerns among members of the legal profession, with the family seeking answers from security agencies over the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has installed speed and surveillance cameras at strategic locations along major roads and highways, to strengthen traffic enforcement and curb the rising number of road accidents in the country.

The cameras linked to a National Command and Control Centre, are expected to facilitate real-time monitoring of traffic violations and automated detection of offences, allowing authorities to take swift action against motorists who flout traffic regulations.

NTSA Director of Cooperatives Affairs, Jacob Sisey, said the surveillance system was among several interventions the Authority had introduced to address increasing cases of road carnage, particularly as the country approaches the festive season when traffic volumes traditionally rise.

He cautioned motorists against reckless driving, urging them to exercise extra vigilance, observe traffic rules and remain mindful of other road users, to prevent avoidable accidents.

Speaking during a fundraiser for the construction of the sanctuary at St Francis Cheptarit Catholic Church in Nandi County, Sisey said motorists should ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and that all necessary documentations are in order before embarking on journeys.

He also called on parents and guardians to closely supervise their children during the long school holiday, warning against allowing underage learners, to drive vehicles or operate commercial motorcycles (Bodaboda).

Sisey said cases of children without driving licences taking vehicles onto public roads, with some engaging in boda boda operations, remained a concern that required greater parental responsibility.

"During the holidays, you find cases of children who do not have licences to drive on the roads, while others engage in boda boda business. I am appealing to parents to be on the lookout to curb this vice," he said.

He further urged youth operating motorcycles to obtain valid riding licences and observe traffic regulations, noting that road safety was a shared responsibility that required cooperation from motorists, passengers, pedestrians and parents.

According to NTSA statistics, road fatalities increased from 3,875 in 2019 to more than 5,100 in 2024, highlighting the growing burden of road crashes on families and the country.

Beyond loss of lives and injuries, road accidents are estimated to cost Kenya about Sh450 billion annually, through medical expenses, lost productivity and property damage, equivalent to approximately five per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product.

Under the Traffic (Minor Offences) Rules, 2016, motorists exceeding the prescribed speed limit by between six and 10 kilometres per hour face a Sh500 fine, while those driving 11 to 15 kilometres per hour above the limit are liable to pay Sh3,000.

The penalty rises to Sh10,000 for motorists exceeding the speed limit by between 16 and 20 kilometres per hour. 

The same penalties apply in designated 50-kilometre-per-hour zones and other areas where traffic signs prescribe lower speed limits.