Eastleigh Building Collapse: Zainab Survived 30 Hours Under Rubble, but Her Family Lost Its Livelihood

Zainab Mohamed made it out alive after spending more than 30 hours trapped beneath a collapsed building in Nairobi’s Eastleigh. But as her family celebrates her survival, they face another painful reality: the shop they had recently moved into is gone, along with the stock and equipment they had invested in to rebuild their business.

Her husband, Sultan Mohamed, says the wait for her rescue was so distressing that he could not eat and eventually had to seek medical attention after his blood pressure rose.

For nearly 30 hours, he did not know whether his wife was alive or whether rescuers would reach her in time.

“I was not eating, a Somali lady was giving me water, and she supported me so much,” Sultan told The Eastleigh Voice, describing the kindness of a woman who helped him through the ordeal.

Zainab, a mother of three, was rescued on Saturday evening after the multi-storey building collapsed along 9th Street on Friday, 23 October. Four people had been rescued by the time police issued their latest update on Sunday, while the search for anyone else who might be trapped continued.

A decision to retrieve her phone changed everything

Sultan said his wife had heard loud noises shortly before the collapse and initially thought people were fighting outside.

She began making her way out and had reached the stairs when she decided to return to her shop to collect her phone. The building came down while she was still inside.

Zainab was trapped in a confined space between two refrigerators in the shop, with concrete and debris blocking her way out.

She later described how the heavy rubble surrounded her, leaving little room to move. With no clear escape route, she prayed as she waited for rescuers.

“I thank God I am back home and alive; I didn’t know I would be alive,” she said after surviving the ordeal.

Her rescue brought relief to a family that had spent hours fearing the worst. But survival has not ended their struggle.

The family must now rebuild its business

Sultan said the family had only recently moved its business to the building after being told to leave the mall where they had operated before.

They had begun setting up again, buying two refrigerators and other items for their shop in the basement. The collapse destroyed the business, leaving Sultan without the source of income he relied on to support their three children.

He said he had not yet calculated the full value of the lost stock and equipment. He had also paid rent several months in advance.

“I paid rent for several months in advance,” he said.

The family’s experience highlights the wider cost of a building disaster in a busy trading neighbourhood. Beyond those injured or missing, traders can lose their stock, equipment and income in a single incident. For families whose businesses are their main source of livelihood, the financial consequences may continue long after rescue teams leave.

Questions over approvals as investigations begin

The collapse has also intensified scrutiny of how the building was approved, constructed and used.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has said the county did not approve the building’s development plans. He has disputed claims that a document circulating online proved the project had received the necessary construction approval, arguing that permission to change the property’s use was different from approval to build.

The National Construction Authority identified 9th Street Plaza Limited as the developer and Stromax Holdings E.A Limited as the contractor. It also named the architect and structural engineer listed for the project. The authority’s published statement did not establish whether inspections had taken place or whether any violations had been identified before the collapse.

On Monday, 26 October, the Director of Public Prosecutions directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to investigate whether negligence by the developer, contractors, construction professionals or county officials contributed to the disaster. The DPP also said Nairobi City County had not submitted an inquiry file on the building’s construction to the prosecution office before the directive.

The investigation is expected to examine the project’s planning, approval, supervision and construction. The cause of the collapse has not yet been conclusively established, and responsibility must be determined through the investigation rather than assumed.

Rescue teams continue searching

The building collapsed on 9th Street in Eastleigh, between Yusuf Haji Avenue and Second Avenue, triggering a multi-agency rescue operation.

Police have urged anyone searching for a missing relative to report to the Kenya Red Cross desk at the scene or call the emergency response number 1199. Members of the public have also been asked to stay away from the affected area to give rescuers and specialised equipment room to operate.

For Sultan and Zainab, the immediate relief is that she is alive and back with her children. The family now faces the task of recovering from the loss of its business while the search and investigation continue.

Her rescue is a story of survival. What happens next will also test how effectively authorities can establish what went wrong and whether anyone should be held accountable.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.