Developers undertaking constructions within Kiambu county but lack building approvals have two days to comply or face the law.
Governor James Nyoro on Monday held a meeting with a multi-agency team, including players in the construction industry, county commissioner and county planning team, to find the way forward after two buildings collapsed in Kinoo and Gachie within two weeks, leaving three people dead.
“We held a meeting with the National Construction Authority, the Institution of Engineers of Kenya, the Board of Registration and Quantity Surveyors, the National Environment Management Authority, national government and county government, directorate of occupational safety and health services and the Engineers Board of Kenya and have realised that collapsing of buildings is a national issue caused by lack of working together in building constructions,” Nyoro said.
The governor said the multi-agency team will on Wednesday start the inspection of buildings under construction and those completed to ascertain whether they have complied with construction guidelines to avoid another disaster.
“The developer is at a loss when the building collapses; therefore, they should comply with all guidelines given by the construction organisations and that does not mean they will incur additional costs but is a precaution to ensure the buildings are safe for occupation,” Nyoro said.
The county will set up offices in two weeks for all developers within Kiambu county to apply afresh and comply with the laid-down building codes.
Nyoro said after a building is approved, some developers become reckless and do substandard work to cut costs.
“The multi-agency team will go round the county to audit how buildings were constructed. We are telling developers who do not have approvals to come to the county government and comply before the multi-agency team gets to them.
He said the County government, will establish a one-stop shop to coordinate all the bodies involved in construction and physical planning, to give a common approval.
“As Kiambu county, we will ensure all organisations are represented during approvals of buildings. The organisations have said that it has not happened in any other county and if it works in Kiambu it will be rolled out in all other counties to curb collapsing of buildings."
Nyoro asked residents to demand an occupation certificate from developers before moving into a building to know whether the building has fully complied with building guidelines.
IEK president Nathaniel Matalanga said they have agreed that engineers who submit drawings for approvals supervise the construction.
“The law says that if you submit drawings for approval and the developer disengages you and starts constructing, the engineer is supposed to inform the county government and the NCA that you are no longer involved in that project and a stop notice will be issued,” Matalanga said.
He said the list of registered engineers is available on their website, adding that there is a whistle-blowing section at the site to report on malpractices.
Engineering Board of Kenya member Mary Ngai said this year, the construction industry has lost over Sh2 billion due to collapsing of buildings.
The building construction bodies called on the Council of Governor's to incorporate them in the planning departments to help ensure constructions are done professionally and avoid collapsing of buildings going forward.
Nyoro however said the list of registered engineers will be posted at the county Electronic Development Application System, which is used for approvals of buildings.
-Edited by SKanyara
