This archive report was first published on 12 December 2019.
December 12, 2019
The Kenya Engineers Board has sounded the alarm on the country's construction sector, warning that it will not achieve Vision 2030 aspirations due to risky growth.
According to the board, the sector is plagued by collapsing, sinking, and cracking buildings, as well as those built illegally on public utility lands.
Eng. Michael Gitau, the board's representative, stated that the sector is 'a mass of confusion devoid of professionalism' and that most buildings in the country 'cannot pass structural integrity test.'
He further warned that if an earthquake measuring six on the Richter scale were to hit some urban estates, the destruction would be unthinkable.
The board also accused the Kenya Bureau of Standards of failing to regulate the quality of building materials, while developers have bypassed professional engineers in favor of quacks and brokers.
Gitau noted that building materials have deteriorated, especially cement and steel, which are crucial for structural safety and stability.
He also highlighted the acute shortage of engineers in the country, stating that there are only 1,253 registered engineers out of 6,467 engineering graduates since 1963.
The ratio of engineers to citizens stands at one engineer for 24,500 citizens, as opposed to the desired one for 500.
Forpe, a forum for restoration of professional engineering in Kenya, accused the government of undermining professional bodies mandated to secure the industry.
Public Works Principal Secretary Gordon Kihalangwa proposed several solutions to minimize existing and emerging challenges in the construction industry, including the development of an e-construction permit system, building audits, and mitigating structural collapses.
He also emphasized the need for harmony among agencies mandated to regulate the sector.
Engineer Mairura Omwenga, chairman of the Town Planning Chapter of the Architectural Association of Kenya, attributed the problems to uncoordinated plans that have allowed buildings to 'just haphazardly sprout out like mushrooms.'
Geoffrey Mungai, an engineering consultant in town planning, suggested that county governments should be supported with technical logistics to come up with spatial plans that will instill order in development controls, approvals, and inspections.
