BUILT ENVIRONMENT PROFESSIONALS DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER BUILDING COLLAPSE

Built environment professionals call for accountability and an end to impunity in the construction sector following a deadly building collapse.

By: Gladys  K

Built environment professionals have intensified calls for accountability and far-reaching reforms in Kenya’s construction sector following the collapse of a building under construction, saying repeated tragedies point to systemic failures that continue to put lives at risk.

Professionals drawn from architecture, engineering, planning, quantity surveying and construction management expressed condolences to families affected by the incident, describing the loss of life as preventable in a properly regulated and professionally managed built environment.

“Each life lost represents a collective failure that should weigh heavily on our conscience as professionals,” said Eng. Shammah Kiteme, President of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK).

They identified persistent weaknesses across the development chain, including poor planning, compromised approvals, political interference, weak supervision, use of substandard construction materials and lack of consistent quality control during execution. According to the professionals, these challenges have persisted for decades despite repeated warnings and investigations.

“There is no evidence that lessons from previous building collapses have been institutionalised,” said Arch. Sylvia Kasanga, President of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK). “Without fixing the system, we will continue to mourn preventable deaths.”

The professionals noted that Kenya has recorded more than 200 building collapses since 1963, yet similar patterns of failure continue to emerge, particularly at the county level where enforcement of planning and construction regulations is often weak or inconsistent.

Developers were singled out as bearing ultimate responsibility for compliance with planning, design, construction and safety requirements. The professionals said investigations must go beyond low-level actors and hold all culpable parties to account, including county governments, regulatory agencies, consultants and contractors.

“Failure to make people responsible entrenches a culture of impunity, and there is no way to stop it,” said Ephraim Kakai, President of the Association of Construction Project Managers of Kenya (ACPMK).

To prevent future tragedies, the professionals proposed mandatory inbuilt peer reviews at all stages of development, from planning and design to approvals, construction and certification. They also called for the establishment of a national planning system to improve coordination, transparency and oversight between county and national governments.

As an immediate intervention, they urged the formation of a multi-stakeholder task force to investigate the incident and address long-standing systemic weaknesses in the construction sector. They also called for swift support and reparations for families affected by the collapse, saying justice and reform must go hand in hand.