The family of Raphael Kivundui a 40-year-old carpenter, is demanding justice after he died in the Karen building collapse on Saturday, January 10, 2026. His widow, Lydia Raphael, said neither the contractor, foreman, nor government officials have reached out, leaving her and their three young children struggling.
“Raphael was the breadwinner. I have no job, the children are young, and we haven’t received the money he earned at the site,” Lydia said.
She recounted the last time she spoke to her husband:
“He told me he’d be home for lunch at 1pm. I kept calling and got no answer. At 4pm, someone picked the phone and said, ‘mwenye simu ametuacha.’”
The family is calling on the building owner to come forward. As they await the postmortem, they plan to bury Raphael on January 24.
“We want justice for Raphael. The owner and those responsible must be held accountable,” Lydia added.
The building under construction in Karen, Nairobi, collapsed on Saturday, January 10, killing at least two workers and injuring others, authorities said.
The National Construction Authority (NCA) said the site was not registered, with early findings pointing to a failure during concrete works.
“The incident occurred during concrete casting, with preliminary assessments indicating a failure of the formwork,” the NCA said.
Nairobi County officials blamed poor workmanship and substandard materials, while police said investigations are ongoing.
“If anyone is found culpable, they will be held accountable under the law,” police said.
The Karen tragedy comes just weeks after another building collapse in South C, which left several workers injured, raising concerns over construction safety and compliance in Nairobi. Authorities have warned that unregistered sites and substandard materials remain a serious threat to workers.
