The discovery of Yusuf Ali’s body on Sunday from the rubble of a collapsed building in Mombasa has cast a harsh spotlight on building safety and regulatory enforcement in Kenya’s urban spaces. Ali had entered the structure on April 2 days before it was demolished reportedly to inspect a unit he was considering purchasing.
CCTV footage captured Ali walking into the building after speaking to two security guards. One of them is said to have taken him on a tour of the condemned premises, moments before the building began to show signs of sinking and was later sealed off.
His body was recovered following an intense search operation that resumed after the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) brought down the structurally unsound building in a controlled demolition on April 9. The operation involved detonations to ensure the structure did not collapse unpredictably and endanger nearby residents.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir confirmed the structural integrity of the building had been severely compromised, citing unauthorized borehole drilling that fatally weakened its foundation.
While the demolition was necessary to prevent broader catastrophe, the incident has sparked renewed calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations and better public communication around unsafe properties.
