The country’s construction industry could face weaker professional checks if the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) continues to operate with reduced government support, engineers have warned, raising fresh concern over safety, standards and accountability on building projects.
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) wants the government to restore funding for the regulator, saying EBK needs enough resources to carry out inspections and ensure that engineering rules are followed.
Newly elected IEK president Harrison Keter said regulation of the profession is a public responsibility that cannot be left to an institution without enough financial support.
“The Engineers Board of Kenya is one of the bodies whose funding support from government was drastically reduced, after it was named among state agencies declassified as parastatals,” said Keter.
The engineers said the funding reduction could make it difficult for the board to properly monitor construction work and deal with violations within the sector.
Keter pointed to several challenges already affecting the industry, including projects being handled by people who do not have the required qualifications.
He also raised concern over the alleged misuse of engineers’ names and licences, with some professionals listed on project documents despite not taking part in the work being carried out.
According to Keter, the practice can leave engineers facing questions or possible consequences when a project develops problems, even where they were not involved in its construction.
He said stronger checks are needed to establish whether professionals listed on projects are actually present and carrying out their assigned duties.
The warning comes against the backdrop of building collapses and failures involving infrastructure, which Keter said have led to deaths and loss of property.
He said the damage caused by such incidents is not limited to the people who directly lose their homes, buildings or investments, as the failures can also create wider costs for the economy.
Keter urged the government to place EBK among agencies that receive sufficient public funding, saying the body must have the resources needed to regulate engineers and enforce standards.
He further called for technology to be used to improve monitoring of engineers’ licences and their involvement in construction projects.
Under the proposed approach, an engineer would receive a notification whenever their licence is entered against a project.
This would allow the professional to confirm that they are involved in the work or report cases where their details have been used without permission.
Keter said such a system could help address situations in which engineers discover that their credentials have been used on projects they are not supervising.
He said this is important because some engineers whose names appear in project records may later be blamed when construction work goes wrong, despite having no role in the actual work.
The IEK president also linked the problem to the high level of unemployment among engineers.
He said the lack of jobs could leave some professionals open to accepting money in exchange for allowing their names and licences to be used on projects without taking part in construction.
Keter said regulation should cover the full life of a project rather than focusing only on one stage.
He called for closer monitoring from the initial planning and design stages through construction, commissioning and the final handover.
He spoke after the IEK annual general meeting, where the engineers pushed for stronger enforcement and better protection of professional standards.
Keter said adequate regulation is necessary to ensure that only qualified professionals take part in construction work and that engineers whose details appear on projects are genuinely involved.
He maintained that improving oversight would help protect lives and property while also strengthening confidence in the construction sector.