A real estate expert wants the national and county governments to strictly enforce construction regulations in order to tame rogue developers.
According to John Kibe, a construction expert based in Kiambu, the government is to blame for allegedly failing to strictly enforce construction regulations’.
Kibe notes that Kenya is among counties with the best construction regulations yet it has failed to enforce them.
He claimed that failure by the government to strictly enforce the laws has seen rogue developers put up substandard buildings.
Speaking on Monday Kibe said, “The government both at the national and county level must strictly enforce the construction regulations to tame rogue developers.”
Kibe also said that some government officials could be colluding with rogue developers to put up substandard buildings.
“Corruption is everywhere and could be the big reason why substandard buildings that lack approvals are being put up across the country,” he said.
Kibe at the same time blamed demand for housing for mushroom of rogue developers.
He said that Kenyans are moving to town centres making the demand for houses high hence construction of substandard buildings.
Kibe called on the government through the established agencies to strictly supervise and monitor the construction and housing sector.
He warned that rogue developers will continue to wreak havoc if they are not tamed.
Last week, a three-storey building collapsed in Kimbo estate Ruiru Sub County. The building was still under construction yet it had been occupied by tenants.
On Thursday last week, tenants at the Lancore Apartment in Ruaka were ordered to vacate the building after I started sinking.
Kiambu government has since ordered for an immediate audit of all residential and commercial buildings with Ruaka, Thika, Ruiru and Juja being cited as areas with risk buildings.