Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced new guidelines requiring construction professionals to notify authorities if removed from project sites. This follows the collapse of a 22-storey building in Westlands on Wednesday. The measures target loopholes exploited by developers.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja announced new construction guidelines on Thursday following the collapse of a 22-storey building in Westlands on Wednesday. The directive requires professionals involved in projects to notify both the county government and their regulatory bodies if removed from a site. “We have told the professional bodies to tell their members that if anybody is removed from a site, they must inform the county and that body, so that we can know if a building is going on without the proper professional support,” Sakaja said. Affected associations include the Architectural Association of Kenya, Institution of Surveyors of Kenya, and Engineers Board of Kenya. Sakaja noted a common loophole where developers hire qualified professionals for approvals then dismiss them, risking safety standards. He outlined the approval process: applications by architects, engineers, and quantity surveyors include signed indemnities for quality and safety, reviewed by an urban planning technical committee. Sakaja referenced a 16-storey building collapse in South C earlier this year, stating involved professionals could face prosecution. The guidelines follow increased scrutiny after collapses including in Shauri Moyo.