Mombasa: Investors and constructors in Kenya have been urged to engage licensed professionals in their development projects amid a surge of building collapses across the country attributed to inferior workmanship. According to Kenya News Agency, the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) CEO, Eng. Margaret Ogai, stated that the board has adopted a whole-of-government approach, working closely with the National Construction Authority and the Board of Architects and Quantity Surveyors to curb the growing menace of unqualified individuals masquerading as engineers.
She called on developers to strictly engage engineers licensed by EBK, revealing that investigations are ongoing into cases where unqualified individuals supervised construction projects that later collapsed, resulting in loss of lives. 'Developers are cutting corners by failing to engage licensed engineers. These are the cases we are currently investigating. I urge all developers to ensure they work with competent and certified professionals,' she said.
Ogai emphasized that there is a misconception that hiring an engineer is expensive, but in reality, it saves significant losses. She warned that investing in a substantial project only for it to collapse could cause fatalities and lead to lengthy court battles. Ogai also warned impostors against undertaking tasks beyond their expertise, as the law clearly stipulates that only licensed professionals should handle engineering work.
She further noted that EBK is intensifying efforts to eliminate unqualified practitioners, adding that several cases have already been referred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. 'We are collaborating closely with county governments to ensure quality across the entire value chain, from design and construction supervision to maintenance and, where necessary, decommissioning,' she said.
Drawing a comparison with the medical field, Ogai stressed the dangers of unqualified practice leading to loss of lives. 'It would be disastrous for an untrained person to perform surgery. The same applies to engineering. Using unlicensed individuals is extremely dangerous. We have lost too many lives unnecessarily, and we must ensure only qualified professionals undertake such critical work,' she said.
To weed out unqualified practitioners, EBK published a list of licensed engineers in the Kenya Gazette and is in the process of introducing a new-generation identification card for engineers. Ogai was speaking at Bedzimba Comprehensive School in Junda, Ward Kisauni Sub-County, during a Corporate Social Responsibility event, where EBK donated a 10,000-litre water tank and planted 1,000 mangrove propagules at the Junda Creek ahead of the 7th Engineering Partnership Convention in Mombasa.
Developers and contractors were also urged to integrate sustainable tree planting into construction projects to restore degraded land and mitigate the effects of climate change. Ogai acknowledged that engineering activities inevitably disrupt the environment during project implementation, but noted that mitigation measures are increasingly being adopted. She observed that road contractors are gradually embracing tree planting as part of construction projects.
'You will notice that in many projects, we reinstate excavated areas, plant grass, and grow trees. This is part of our commitment to sustainability,' she said. The CEO added that environmental conservation measures are now routinely incorporated during the design phase of projects. 'We have been given an ambitious target by the Head of State to grow 15 billion trees. It is our collective responsibility to contribute to this goal,' she said, urging Kenyans to plant trees in their homes, places of worship, and schools.
EBK is also collaborating with the National Environment Management Authority to promote sustainable development in engineering practices. Contractors were urged to adhere strictly to standards and regulations to ensure the construction of durable and environmentally sustainable infrastructure.
On his part, Eng. David Jomeli, Chief Engineer for Roads and Structural Works at the County Government, called on engineers to exercise self-regulation, uphold patriotism, and adhere to professional ethics. He also emphasised the need for collaboration between county governments and EBK to facilitate joint Continuous Professional Development programmes, ensuring engineers remain updated with emerging trends and advancements in the profession.