The surge in collapsing buildings ought to spark off more public uproar and fury. In fact, the frequency should have generated a national debate considering the number of lives lost. But little or nothing is being done to address this deep-seated cancer devouring the vibrant real estate industry.
A short lived public anger and tough talk from relevant authorities is now the unprecedented norm when a building collapses. After the Huruma building collapse, the President directed the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and Nairobi County Government to conduct a comprehensive audit of all buildings, especially in Eastlands where this was prevalent.
Several buildings have collapsed after this directive, including the latest ones in Embakasi, Kisii and Nakuru. It appears we have left everything to fate. So what is the rot fanning these tragedies?
Any construction project must be designed and supervised by registered qualified professionals. The Architects and Quantity Surveyors Act and Engineers Registration Act detail the registration requirements and process, including keeping a register of certified members. County governments insist that practising certificate and signature of registered architect and engineer on a project has to be provided before drawings are approved. A site board with details of the project consultants must be erected on any site.
With these measures in place, how do we still have masqueraders running construction projects? All one needs is money. Regardless of your qualification, you can get drawings approved and begin construction. The county governments keep records of all projects they approve. For a small fee, anyone can obtain drawings approved at the county in the 70s and 80s. So why haven’t we been told which consultants were used to approve the Huruma and Kware buildings for example? Unscrupulous professionals are trading with people’s lives and its time we named and shamed them.
Don’t take the bait being dangled that a seven-storey building in Embakasi was constructed without the county government’s knowledge. In Nairobi for example, it is impossible to construct a dog kennel without county authorities showing up at your door. There is a joke that county inspectors know how to ‘smell’ new construction projects.
This industry is not exempt from our national cancer - corruption. Here, it reigns supreme. You have to budget for corruption to build smoothly.
We have to put the blame at the right door -- the regulating authorities. While I greatly appreciate the efforts of the National Construction Authority (NCA) to improve the industry, a lot remains to be done. NCA is still infiltrated with individuals who issue licences to unqualified contractors. Site supervision needs great improvement especially in the outskirts of Nairobi.
One symptom of this tragedy is that no one seems to take responsibility; the blame is always shifted as it suits. Time is ripe to formally entrust the entire project oversight process to one professional individual – the project manager.
With strict legal framework and penalty, the project manager can ensure only qualified consultants and contractor are on board as required. The buck must stop somewhere.
- The writer is the chairman of Association of Construction Managers of Kenya.
