The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning, and Public Works chaired by Hon. Johana Ng’eno (Emurua Dikirr) has resolved to carry out an extensive inquiry into the collapsing buildings across the country. According to a comprehensive audit of buildings from the State Department of Public Works dated March 21, 2023, there have been 63 structural collapses between the years 2013 and 2023.
The committee is set to inquire on the state of buildings in Kenya, the cause of buildings collapsing in the country, the training of professionals in the built environment, the existing policies, regulatory framework and procedures governing construction in the country as well as relevant data, reports and complaints regarding the state of buildings in the country.
Hon Ng’eno said there is a need to ensure all houses constructed are safe and do not endanger members of the public.
“Our aim is to sort the menace of collapsing buildings in Kenya as the government prepares for massive affordable housing projects across the country so that we don’t endanger the lives of our people,” he said.
During the inquiry, the Committee will also seek to receive and consider views from stakeholders and the general public on the legislative gaps in construction industry, relevance of the curriculum offered by the training institutions, adequate resource allocation for enforcement agencies to properly facilitate their compliance functions among others.