‘We shall meet in court’: Babu refuses to apologise to Sakaja over collapsed building claims

NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 26- Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has dared Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to take him to court over his allegations linking City Hall to the collapsed Eastleigh building, insisting he will not apologise as he demands accountability for the deaths and suffering caused by the tragedy.

In a statement on Monday, Owino said he would not be intimidated into withdrawing his criticism of the governor, arguing that families affected by the disaster deserved answers over the circumstances that led to the collapse.

“Let’s meet in court, SAKAJA. I will not apologise to a man who has destroyed the lives of Nairobians. He MUST answer for the suffering of Nairobians,” Owino said.

“If you have nothing to hide, answer the hard questions. We shall meet in court,” he added.

The legislator said the ongoing rescue operation and the anguish of families searching for missing relatives made it imperative for those responsible for regulating construction in the city to explain what happened.

“People are dying. Families are living in agony, and Nairobians remain trapped beneath a collapsed building. Behind every life lost is a family whose world has been shattered,” he said.

Owino added that Nairobi residents deserved accountability rather than what he described as attempts to silence those demanding answers.

“Nairobians deserve answers, accountability and justice; not excuses, arrogance or attempts to silence those demanding answers. We will not be intimidated, and we will not allow this tragedy to be swept under the carpet,” he said.

The latest exchange escalates a dispute between the MP and the governor over whether the multi-storey building that collapsed along 9th Street in Eastleigh on Friday, October 23, had the necessary county approvals.

On Sunday, Sakaja, through his lawyers, issued Owino with a six-hour ultimatum to remove social media posts linking the governor to the building’s approval, warning that failure to comply would result in legal action.

The lawyers accused the MP of publishing misleading information that could damage Sakaja’s reputation. The demand followed Owino’s publication of a document he said showed that Nairobi City County had approved the proposed development on February 13, 2024.

Owino had accused the governor of misleading Kenyans by claiming the building lacked approval. He also alleged that a Sh120 million bribe had been paid to secure the development approval, a claim that has not been independently established.

Sakaja has disputed the MP’s interpretation of the document, insisting that permission to change the property’s use was different from approval to construct the building.

The governor said the county approved a change of user from residential to mixed residential and commercial in October 2024, but maintained that the subsequent architectural plans for the proposed high-rise building were not approved.

He also said the county had taken enforcement action against the development, raising questions about how construction continued despite the interventions.

The dispute has brought renewed scrutiny to Nairobi’s development approval procedures, building inspections and enforcement of construction regulations, with questions emerging over the responsibilities of developers, professionals and public officials.

The collapse triggered a multi-agency rescue operation as emergency teams searched for people feared trapped beneath the rubble. By Sunday, four people had been rescued alive, while the Kenya Red Cross had received reports of 47 people missing, although the figures were still being verified.

The tragedy has also intensified calls for investigations into the building’s approval history and the enforcement measures taken before it collapsed.

On Monday, Sakaja questioned the release of suspects arrested over alleged violations of county planning regulations, saying some had reportedly been freed on Sh50,000 cash bail without being presented in court. He called on police to explain the circumstances surrounding their release