In recent past, the construction industry has once again been on the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
A five-storey building under construction collapsed in Ruaka near Ndenderu area, just after the Huruma building collapse. In addition, we are witnesses to the murky Evergreen Park, Athi River riparian debate.
While the construction industry is in the genuine progress momentum attempt, the regulatory institutions mandated to carry out oversight on our behalf have been the sole impediment.
We, the people, have mandated the county governments to ensure all development plans are approved before commencement of any construction work and subsequently supervise the work regularly during construction period before ultimately issuing certificate of occupation indicating that the building is suitable for use.
This is their duty; one they must discharge without excuses especially when lives are involved. We must decline lackluster excuses always given by Nairobi county government when a building collapses that a high-rise building can be erected in Huruma or Kware-Embakasi to completion without their knowledge.
To even attempt an iota of belief of this is accepting mediocrity and surrendering our fate to destiny. In fact, it is impossible in my observation, to even do a dog kennel in this city without County supervisors showing up at your door.
Last year, we carried out minor office renovation and four county inspectors visited us twice to ensure we had the requisite permits and were carrying out the work as required. How convenient is it that they miss to see such huge developments during construction? Not really, construction of substandard buildings is happening in the full glare of county officials.
In late last year, I wrote an article voicing my opposition to government scrapping of NEMA & NCA developers fees, I still hold that view. Scrapping of these fees, as predicted, has not achieved the intentions.
Housing prices are still high and we now have to fund these institutions from the exchequer account at the expense of developers pocketing more money.
I hasten to add that with the strict budgetary allocations, considering our financial woes, these institution funding have reduced unlike when they raised their own funds. That notwithstanding, these institutions have failed the construction industry and the country in numerous occasions.
The National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) and Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA) through their questionable development permits, are assisting in the destruction of our environment and water bodies.
There are numerous developments being built or completed on the riparian reserves and water ways. The construction site board in fact even show the Nema & WRMA approval numbers. What is the excuse?
Certain hardworking Kenyans at Evergreen Park who through their taxes fund these bodies to carryout oversight on their behalf, are on the brink of losing their homes through demolition because some people slept on their work or were paid to sleep on it. We must rise against such mediocrity.
I have always wondered what criteria the National Construction Authority (NCA) used to register certain contractors other than what is prescribed in the regulations.
Absolute incompetent contractors with high NCA registration categories are in our midst carrying out substandard construction work.
The presumption has been that when NCA approves a contractor for a certain category of work, then he is qualified.
Not any more, corruption has made it possible for registration of contractor companies that cannot even construct my village pit latrine. And yet we mandated this body to protect us from unscrupulous and incompetent contractors – we are back in it.
The road authorities are not exempt from this quagmire. How certain developments have been given direct entry and exit access to major roads baffles you. In fact, some don’t even have acceleration and deceleration lanes.
These authorities are hindering the progress of the construction industry and the country in general by failing to carry out their work comprehensively. Unlike other industries, the negligent mistakes in the construction industry are very punitive.
Look at the number of lives we have carelessly lost in the last five years. We must demand one hundred percent effort from these bodies and hold them accountable, nothing less. There are no acceptable excuses for not paying taxes, why must we continue to accept so when people just don’t do their work?
-The writer is a project manager and chairman of Association of Construction Managers of Kenya
