Work with experts to prevent buildings from collapsing, developers told
The Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya (IQSK) has called on developers to work with certified professionals to prevent buildings from collapsing while under construction
IQSK said the incident in which a five storey building in Kinoo sank and another one collapsing in Gachie could have been avoided had strict compliance with the building code followed.
In a statement, IQSK president James Munene Gitonga challenged professionals to carry out their duties diligently and urged authorities to continue clamping down on quacks and rogue practitioners.
“These measures will help mitigate the problems with the failures in the construction sector,” Mr Munene said, adding that all practitioners and respective authorities have a good idea on why buildings are collapsing.
“All of us know what is at stake: human lives, loss of wealth, we need to get our act together,”
IQSK Vice president Jenifer Musyimi said the earliest documented case of building collapse in Kenya was in 1990 when a multi-storeyed building in Dagoretti collapsed, killing one and injuring many others.
Since then over 200 people have died and several others injured as a result collapse of buildings
“The economy is estimated to have lost over Sh2.4 billion worth of investments,” Mr Musyimi said.
The National Building Inspectorate (NBI) carried out an audit of buildings in 2018.
Of the 14,895 buildings inspected, a total of 723 were classified as very dangerous, 10,791 as unsafe, 1,217 as fair and only 2,194 as safe, translating to just over 15 per cent
A report released by the National Construction Authority (NCA) in 2020 pointed out that for every 100 buildings in Kenya, 35 are likely to fall.
IQSK says it supports the current efforts being undertaken by the NCA, the National Building Inspectorate, and the county governments on auditing all the buildings in the country to establish whether they are safe.
The objective of the inspection was to investigate failure and collapse of buildings in Kenya.
The study established that the main causes of collapsing of buildings are poor workmanship, use of substandard materials, poor structural design, inadequate maintenance, and non-compliance to statutory requirements.
“At the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya, we would like to empathise with all those who might have been affected by these incidents: those bereaved of their loved ones, those who have suffered injuries, those that have been rendered homeless and those who have suffered loss of property,” the IQSK president said.
