The Architectural Association of Kenya has dismissed claims it is to blame for houses that have collapsed across the country over the years.
The association yesterday said rogue developers and greed are to blame for the tragedies that have claimed lives.
Association president Emma Miloyo said a preliminary survey indicates about 860 buildings in the city are unsafe and might turn disastrous.
She said for the past 20 years, about 20 buildings have collapsed, the majority being within Nairobi.
She said it is unfortunate the buildings lack county approvals, architectural designs and qualified engineers to work on them.
“It is high time the government took serious the lives and safety of its citizens. There a lot of rogue developers and quack architects out here taking advantage of the deficit in housing to establish structures that are dangerous to the tenants,” Miloyo said.
She said the majority of these buildings are in Nairobi’s Pipeline, Huruma and Mathare slums.
In 2016, a six-storey building collapsed in Huruma claiming more than 50 lives.
Preliminary investigations indicated the building was established on a weak foundation and was not approved. The building with 198 rooms had no architectural designs.
Early this year, another five-storey building which was fully occupied caved in, killing three people including a pregnant woman.
Reports also indicated the ill-fated building had no approvals
and designs.
Miloyo said desperation is forcing many poor families to rent cheap houses in condemned buildings and disregard their safety.
“We have at least 600 construction activities going on in Nairobi alone on a single day. The county is overstretched in its inspectorate as it has only 15 officers who are expected to maneuver across the subcounties to inspect constructions,” she said.
“It is evident that such manpower cannot be efficient in effectively implementing the inspection work.”
The association urged the National Construction Authority to partner with to ensure safety and quality of the structures.
Miloyo said the government can adopt emerging technology to inspect buildings.
Concerning President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda, Miloyo said the focus on affordable housing is a timely intervention.
She praised the 15 per cent tax relief for Kenyans buying houses under the Affordable Housing Scheme.Miloyo said the process should fair.