“Horrible Senator” — Kasmuel Blasts Edwin Sifuna Over Silence on Deadly Nairobi Building Collapse
Political activist Kasmuel McOure has launched a blistering attack on Nairobi Senator and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna following the collapse of a multi-storey building in South C, Nairobi, an incident that has reignited public outrage over unsafe construction practices and alleged failures in county oversight.
The building collapse, which occurred earlier this week, is believed to have claimed several lives and left others injured, with preliminary reports linking the tragedy to irregular approvals and weak enforcement by Nairobi County authorities.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, January 2, McOure accused Senator Sifuna of selectively exercising his oversight role, arguing that the lawmaker has been outspoken on national matters while remaining conspicuously silent when accountability is required within Nairobi County — the jurisdiction he was elected to represent.
“Edwin Sifuna will oversight everything except Nairobi County, the mandate he was elected to oversee,” McOure wrote.
McOure went on to contrast Sifuna’s recent commentary on national policy issues, including the country’s oil sector, with what he described as a lack of urgency and leadership in the aftermath of the deadly South C collapse.
“Last week, he spoke about oil with utmost urgency, but when a building collapses and lives are lost due to reckless approvals by Nairobi County, that is where he draws the line,” McOure added.
“A horrible senator, but even worse Secretary General.”
The remarks have added to growing criticism directed at political leaders accused of failing to confront systemic corruption and negligence within county planning and enforcement departments. Nairobi has in recent years witnessed several building collapses, often linked to unauthorized developments, substandard construction materials, and lax regulatory oversight.
The South C incident has once again placed the spotlight on county officials responsible for approving and monitoring construction projects, with members of the public and civil society groups demanding swift action and accountability.
Joining the calls for justice, Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly (MCA) Robert Alai has urged authorities to pursue criminal charges against officials and professionals he believes bear responsibility for the tragedy.
In a statement shared on X on Friday, Alai questioned how the building was allowed to proceed and later altered, arguing that the collapse was not an accident but the result of systemic failure.
“This was not an accident. It was failure, negligence and corruption within the planning and enforcement systems,” Alai stated.
According to the MCA, the building had originally been approved for a limited number of floors but was later extended beyond what had been sanctioned, significantly increasing the risk to occupants and neighbouring properties.
“Such violations do not happen by chance,” Alai said, adding that several officials and construction professionals should have intervened long before the structure became dangerous.
Authorities are yet to release a comprehensive report on the collapse, but investigations are ongoing as pressure mounts on both county and national leaders to ensure accountability and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The incident has once again raised uncomfortable questions about governance, political responsibility and public safety in Kenya’s rapidly expanding urban centres.
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“Horrible Senator” — Kasmuel Blasts Edwin Sifuna Over Silence on Deadly Nairobi Building Collapse