Relief as Badi now restores online approval for building

The Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) has restored the e-construction development processing system used by the Nairobi County Government.

Mohammed Badi (pictured), the NMS director general, bowed to pressure from various institutions including the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), the Law Society of Kenya, Kenya Institute of Planners and the Town and County Planners Association of Kenya and revoked an earlier notice suspending use of the e-platform for construction permit approvals. 

Through a notice in the daily newspapers, Mr Badi also declared all applications processed through the e-construction development system between March 18 to May 14, 2020 as valid. He, however, said they would be subjected to verification.

"It is notified for the general information of the public that the e-construction development application processing system has been restored following consultations between the NMS and various stakeholders from the public and private sector," read the notice dated March 16.

However, the DG warned that applications made through the system must comply with provisions of Gazette notice No 2694 of March 26, 2020. On May 13, Badi disbanded Nairobi City County Pre-Technical Committee and Nairobi City County Urban Planning Technical Committee.

AAK President Mugure Njendu termed Badi's annulment of the e-construction system as punitive and retrogressive. She revealed that some 599 projects have been approved in the last two months valued at Sh36 billion.