Housing sector faces radical changes if proposed law is passed

By Martin Mutua

The Ministry of Housing has moved to radically overturn operations to ensure more strict regulations in the building sector.

According to a proposed Bill the ministry wants to be given the mandate to manage housing and human settlements through the establishment of an authority that will be charged with the function.

The Housing Bill 2010 proposes the establishment of the Kenya Housing Authority whose functions will also include facilitating housing development.

If the Cabinet approves the Bill, which is currently pending before it and then sails through Parliament, the authority will also be charged with upholding housing standards and procedures.

It will also create and maintain a data bank on housing developments as well as monitor and evaluate developments in the housing sector.

The authority will further facilitate and promote research on housing, including research on building materials and technologies.

Disaster response

It will liaise with other institutions on disaster preparedness and post disaster response interventions on housing.

Housing Minister Soita Shitanda told The Standard the Bill was critical for the ministry and the Government because it addresses critical issues of the entire sector, including regulating all planners within the sector.

"All the players like architects, planners and contractors will be regulated and controlled from one area, which will make it easy to monitor, for instance, when certain buildings collapse," he added.

The Bill also creates a window for funding to help investors access credit, especially those involved in developing the social economy.

"But currently our hands are tied because all the buildings fall under the councils and the ministry is absent because of the existing laws while the councils do not have the capacity," Shitanda added.

He further said the Bill proposes inspections of all buildings every five years to establish whether they are safe and secure for habitation.

He said the Government would demolish buildings found not to comply with required standards.

Other functions of the authority, according to the Bill, will include promoting innovative forms of housing and land tenure systems to meet the needs of the poor and vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.

A director-general will head the authority proposed in the Bill.

The authority will also ensure housing and human settlement developments are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

In the event of any disputes pertaining to the sector there will be a housing tribunal, established to deal with such issues.