New Committee Formed to Vet Buildings’ Structures

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Stephene Sangira

23 June 2011

The City Council of Nairobi yesterday formed a taskforce headed by the private sector to vet structurally sound buildings in Eastlands. The committee comprises members from the Architectural Association of Kenya, Engineers Institute of Kenya and the Association of Planners and Quantity Surveyors. It was formed in the wake of buildings collapsing in the city.

Town Clerk Philip Kisia made the announcement yesterday while addressing hundreds of private developers and landlords, during a meeting at the council’s chambers attended by technical officers and the Embakasi MP, Ferdinand Waititu. The private developers disclosed that upto 80 per cent of their developments have no approvals, citing red tape and corruption at the council.

Kisia assured the developers that the council has changed its operations in approving building plans. He said the City Council of Nairobi was voted the best council in Sub-Saharan Africa by World Bank for making fast approvals. “We have been voted the best, we issue our approvals if they do not have any hitch within 30 days, the fastest in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Kisia said.

The developers appealed to the council to give them more time to consult before pulling down their buildings saying some are structurally sound. Kisia said the lives of Kenyans are more important than the rent they collect, warning that once the vetting is done, buildings that do not meet the code will be pulled down.

Mayor George Aladwa petitioned the developers to comply with by-laws warning that the council will liaise with Nairobi Water Company and disconnect water from buildings that have not been regularized. “We are not saying that we will move in tomorrow, but after the structures have been assessed,” he said. He also called on the developers to approach the council and regularize their buildings, which had no building approvals were sound technically.

Waititu however hit out at council officers, accusing them of delaying the process to issue title deeds. “A developer cannot get a building approval without a title deed, half of Embakasi and half of Kasarani have no title deeds while the leases are lying in some offices here at the council,” Waititu said.

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