Appoint boards to institutions, state now told

Several key government institutions do not have sitting board of directors in place, hampering operations of these agencies.

The term of the Geologists Registration Board, for instance, expired in 2016, those of the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) and Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra) expired in 2017 and Engineers Board of Kenya (March 2019), while the National Construction Authority (NCA) Board has no chairperson.

Institution of Engineers of Kenya Secretary Nathaniel Matalanga says these boards are yet to be appointed several months after nominating bodies submitted names.

“These institutions, especially Kura and Kerra undertake important infrastructural projects, and the absence of these boards makes viability of these projects questionable,” said Matalanga during a press briefing by the Association of Professional Societies in East Africa (APSEA) at the Professional Centre.

APSEA Chairman Felix Okatch promised to follow up the matter with line ministries to ensure the boards are in place as soon as possible.

“Our role as an association is to uphold work ethics in every profession and we cannot effectively do this if these boards are not in place,” said Okatch.

He cautioned that going forward the association will not accept any board that does not include a registered professional because APSEA is recognised by the Constitution and several Acts of Parliament.

Geological Society of Kenya Chairman Chris Gicheru said the absence of a board in any institution only breeds misconduct and malpractices.

Matalanga added, “As it is now, the projects carried out by these institutions are illegal if they are not approved by any board.”