By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, June 27, 2026 - Developers who illegally add extra floors to buildings without obtaining the required approvals risk fines of up to Sh3 million, a three-year prison sentence, or both, the National Construction Authority (NCA) has warned.
The warning comes as the authority steps up compliance inspections in Mombasa, where one developer has been arrested for allegedly extending a seven-storey building beyond its approved design without regulatory approval.
The NCA said any proposal to add additional floors to an existing building must undergo a fresh structural assessment and receive approval from the relevant authorities before construction can proceed. It warned that unauthorized extensions compromise the structural integrity of buildings and pose a serious risk to public safety.
NCA Compliance Manager and Architect Stephen Mwilu said inspections in Mombasa revealed several developments that had originally been approved for a specific number of floors but were later expanded without fresh structural evaluations or the necessary approvals.
Mwilu linked the crackdown to last year's collapse of an 11-storey building in Kilifi area, Mombasa, which claimed one life before the unstable structure was brought down by the Kenya Defence Forces.
"We must agree on the number of floors from the beginning and stick to the approved plans. Adding extra floors without confirming whether the foundation can support them puts lives at risk," Mwilu said.
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He said the ongoing inspections form part of the NCA's nationwide quality assurance programme aimed at enforcing compliance with construction laws and protecting both construction workers and the public.
"Our role is to oversee and coordinate the construction industry to ensure all legal requirements are met. Where we find non-compliance, we suspend projects until the issues are rectified," he said.
The authority reiterated that developers must adhere to approved building plans and obtain fresh approvals before making any structural alterations to avoid legal action and ensure public safety.