The Real Building Workers Association of Kenya has called for solidarity with families affected by the Eastleigh building collapse, urging Kenyans to support multi-agency teams as the search and rescue operation enters its seventh day. The association says investigations into the cause of the collapse should be allowed to run their course, with a detailed report expected after the rescue and recovery mission is completed.

As rescuers continue clearing debris from the collapsed building in Eastleigh, the Real Building Workers Association of Kenya has joined calls for unity and support for the multi-agency operation.

Association President James Karatu Giita has conveyed condolences to affected families while commending national and county government agencies, the media and the surrounding community for their contribution to the ongoing exercise.

“We are here, number one, to give our condolences to the affected families. Number two, to appreciate everyone, including the media. We are also here to collaborate with the multi-agency teams that are doing the search and rescue.”

Kalatogita says the association is engaging the National Disaster Management Unit to coordinate possible support for the operation, including assistance in areas identified by the teams on the ground.

He has, however, declined to speculate on the cause of the collapse or identify possible structural failures, saying investigations must establish what happened before any conclusions are made public.

“For now, we are not going to discuss what brought the house down, because investigations will be done and a report will be given. The key thing here is to support the search and rescue.”

The association says discussions with the multi-agency team are ongoing to establish how best to coordinate assistance, while urging the media and members of the public to continue supporting the rescue effort.

The comments come as authorities intensify debris removal in an effort to reach the basement, where people are still suspected to be trapped. The incident commander has put the operation at approximately 80 per cent complete, although the confined space and the volume of rubble continue to pose technical challenges.

The association says the priority at this stage should remain the preservation of life and the safe completion of the search and recovery exercise, with questions surrounding the building’s collapse to be addressed through the investigations.

As the operation continues, attention remains firmly on the search for those still missing, even as calls grow for a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and help prevent similar incidents in future.