Engineers decry corruption in Nairobi development approvals

A general view of Nairobi city, Kenya. Picture taken on March 12, 2022. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Engineers in Kenya have raised concerns over frustrations in the approval of development plans in Nairobi County.

In a statement dated Saturday, April 26, the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) cited corruption, inefficiency, unethical practices, and poor service delivery as major obstacles to a transparent approval process.

"There is a mounting body of evidence of corrupt practices entrenched within the county's approval system. Professionals have reported instances where development plans are delayed or rejected arbitrarily unless informal payments or favours are rendered," IEK President Shammah Kiteme said.

The engineers' body also reported persistent delays in approvals despite multiple follow-ups with county offices.

"This has seen approvals take as long as a year. At this point, our clients think Engineers are incompetent, and the credibility dent is a career threat to our members. The corrupt system is designed to manufacture desperation, inducing the need to bribe to get the approvals and save face," they said.

IEK also criticised the failure to effectively use the Nairobi Planning and Development Management System (NPDMS), a digital system intended to streamline the approval process.

"These weaknesses not only inconvenience our members but are also deliberately engineered to defeat the very intention of the digitalisation."

The body has now called for a thorough audit of the approval process and demanded accountability for officials involved in the delays.

It also urged the establishment and enforcement of strict service-level timelines.

"Engineers must be afforded a safe and transparent development approval process, free from coercion or corruption. The integrity of Kenya's built environment depends on this very tenet. Public safety is cardinal," said Kiteme.

The engineers' concerns follow warnings by environmental professionals over a growing crisis of illegal and irregular high-rise developments in Nairobi, which they say threaten public safety, planning standards, and environmental sustainability.