LSK wants construction professionals charged over collapsed buildings

NAIROBI, KENYA: The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) wants all construction professionals involved in collapsed buildings arraigned in court.

LSK Chairman Mr Eric Mutua has also said that the next of kin for persons who have lost lives or suffered in collapsed buildings should sue authorities and building owners for damages.

“The next of kin should seek claims for damages on account of negligence and willful negligence on the part of such licensing bodies and owners of the buildings, Mr Mutua said.

Mr Mutua regretted that many owners of collapsed buildings resulting to deaths and injuries are charged in court but released over incompetence, corruption and poor police investigations.

“We are deeply concerned by the loss of death over collapsed buildings and also that owners of collapsed buildings held criminally culpable walk away Scott free,” Mr Mutua said.

The LSK Chairman said that the concerned building professionals should be identified before establishing whether they are qualified and licensed to operate.

“The Government should establish the negligence of professional bodies (through omission or commission) to contribute to loss of life as a result of collapsed building,” Mr Mutua said.

Professionals involved in building constructions are architects, quantity surveyors, contractors, civil, structural and electrical engineers.

Mr Mutua said that City Hall should also establish whether approvals for the collapsed building were given, if at all.

“We need answers from licensing authorities/bodies on how their members were allowed to operate illegally and which inspectorate measures are underway to arrest the situation,” Mr Mutua said.

The bodies that are responsible for construction professionals include the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (qualification and registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors).

Others are the Engineers Board of Kenya (qualification and registration of engineers) and the National Construction Authority (management, control and registration of contractors).

Others are the City Development Department of Nairobi County (approval of architectural plans and issuance of a building permit) and Nairobi County Development Control Section (inspection of the building upon completion and issuance of an occupancy certificate).

“The Law Society of Kenya is concerned about the recent trend where buildings (either under construction or duly completed ones) have collapsed and lives have been lost,” Mr Mutua said.