The Built Environmental Professionals strongly condemn systemic failures throughout the entire development chain, including planning, design, approvals, construction, inspection, and enforcement. They assert that when architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, planners, project managers, surveyors, valuers, or related practitioners fail in their duties, accountability must be pursued without delay. Ethical behavior, proper supervision, and following standards are essential responsibilities.
A major concern is the weakness in development control at the county level. The statement argues that planning and building control departments should move beyond being seen as units that generate revenue. Counties should appoint and empower Chief Architects, Engineers, Planners, Surveyors, and Valuers to oversee inspections, quality assurance, and quality control for all developments.
The associations also highlight the impunity of developers. Referring to Clause 5 of the National Building Code 2024, they insist that developers are ultimately responsible for compliance. Developers involved in building collapses should be held accountable. This includes providing reparations to affected families and undergoing audits of their other projects.
The Architectural Association of Kenya releases the Status of Built Environment 2022 report
Since 1996, over 200 building collapses have been recorded in Kenya. The professionals emphasize that investigations alone are not sufficient. The lessons learned must be put into practice. Ongoing issues like corruption, political interference, the use of non-professionals, counterfeit materials, the absence of geotechnical investigations, poor construction sequencing, and weak quality control must be effectively addressed.
One of the suggested solutions is mandatory peer review at all stages of a project. This ensures that another qualified professional independently reviews the designs and construction processes. Finally, the associations reaffirm their commitment to collaborating with national and county governments, regulators, and the public to restore integrity, safety, and trust in Kenya’s built environment.
