Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has introduced new building rules following the collapse of a 22-story building in the city’s Westlands area.
Speaking after the building collapsed on Wednesday, Sakaja said the new rules were aimed at enhancing safety, as well as ensuring that all those involved in building projects are accountable.
According to the new rules, architects, engineers, and other relevant experts involved in building projects are required to inform the county as well as their respective bodies if they are removed from the building site.
Sakaja said the new rules were aimed at helping the county know if a building project is ongoing without the relevant expertise.
“We want to know if a building is going on without the right experts on site,” Sakaja said.
The new rules have affected various bodies, including the Architectural Association of Kenya, the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya, as well as the Engineers Board of Kenya.
Sakaja said, however, that there have been cases of developers taking advantage of a loophole. In such cases, the developers have been hiring qualified personnel to assist in the approval of the building plans. They then drop the personnel after the plans have been approved.
Sakaja said, however, that the practice poses a danger to the lives of the building owners. He said the buildings might be constructed without proper checks.
Sakaja also said that the process of approval of building plans involves the approval of documents from the relevant professionals. The professionals have to sign documents agreeing to safety standards before any plan is approved. The plans are then approved after going through a technical committee.
Sakaja said, however, that there was a case of a building that collapsed in South C earlier this year. He said the owners of the building, which had 16 floors, might face legal charges. He said the case has shown the dangers of the practice.
The new rules have, however, brought a new perspective on the approval of building plans. It has brought a sense of responsibility from the start of the process to the end.
The new rules have come at a time when there have been concerns about the safety of buildings. The concerns have been rising, especially after the recent collapses of buildings in areas such as Shauri Moyo.
