City residents seeking building approvals will no longer have to submit their documents physically starting next month.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Service on Tuesday said it is set to complete upgrading, reviewing and improving the e-construction permit system, complete with quick response (QR) codes.
“The upgrade, review and further improvement of the e-construction permit system will minimise physical submission of building approvals documents to be fully operational by August 2021,” NMS deputy director Kang’ethe Thuku said.
In the current financial year, Sh30 million has been set aside for the upgrade of the Nairobi e-construction system.
In May, the NMS suspended the e-construction system after it was hacked.
To seal all loopholes that might have been used by the hackers, NMS roped in security agencies and ICT experts to look into the situation.
While the system was suspended, Kenya Institute of Planners chairperson Joakim Nyarangi said developers were staring at Sh10 billion loss every month.
NMS receives between 200 and 250 high-end investment applications worth hundreds of millions through the system every two weeks
NMS boss Major General Mohammed Badi faulted the hacking, saying it was caused by a failure to upgrade the e-construction system over the last four years, creating loopholes.
He said the system, which is owned by the Nairobi county government, was sponsored by the World Bank almost four years ago.
On March 18, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta, while establishing the NMS, directed Badi to streamline project development and clear approvals backlog.
The accumulation was as a result of corruption and cartels at City Hall.
The online QR code system launched on March 29, 2020, provides a unique identification of all approved architectural and structural plans.
It eliminates the need for property developers to submit hard copies of development plans for stamping upon approval.
The system was meant to address hitches within City Hall’s planning department that led to the suspension of officials who were responsible for issuing building approvals.
