Engineers are concerned that reduced state funding to the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) could weaken oversight of the construction sector and undermine professional standards.
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), while calling for the reinstatement of funding to the regulator, said that its role in project inspection and standard enforcement is critical.
Newly elected IEK president Harrison Keter said the government must continue supporting the regulator because enforcement of engineering standards is a public function with direct implications for safety and the economy
“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 are warning that inadequate oversight could worsen existing problems in the construction sector, including the use of unqualified contractors and cases where engineers’ credentials are allegedly used to secure projects without the professionals being involved during actual construction.
The warning comes amid concerns over building collapses and other infrastructure failures, which Keter said have resulted in loss of lives and destruction of property.
He said such failures also carry wider economic costs beyond the immediate losses suffered by developers and contractors.
Keter said the government should restore the EBK to the category of state agencies receiving adequate public funding, arguing that regulation and enforcement of engineering standards cannot be left to an underfunded institution.
He also proposed greater use of technology to track the use of engineers’ licences on construction projects.
According to Keter, some engineers whose names and licences appear on project documents are not present during construction, leaving them exposed when projects fail.
The president who was speaking after IEKs annual general meeting, called for stronger enforcement throughout the project cycle, from planning and design to implementation, commissioning and handover.
Under the proposed system, engineers would receive alerts whenever their licences are listed for a project, allowing them to flag cases where their credentials have been used without their knowledge or consent.
Keter said unemployment among engineers has also created vulnerabilities, with some professionals potentially accepting payments to have their names attached to projects despite not being involved in the work.
Kenyan universities produce about 3,000 graduate engineers annually, but only a fraction have been absorbed into structured graduate training programmes, according to Keter.
He called for a government-backed three-year training programme to give new graduates practical experience.
“We call on the government to increase the involvement of local engineers and consultants in major infrastructure projects, this would help build domestic technical capacity while creating employment,” he added.
The engineers also want a dedicated financing for local engineering firms and consultants, particularly through the proposed National Infrastructure Fund.
Keter said infrastructure investment should go beyond construction to include operations and maintenance, warning that poorly maintained infrastructure can deteriorate within a few years.
He urged developers and members of the public to use qualified professionals when undertaking construction projects, saying safety must remain central to engineering and construction.
“Safety begins with you. Engineering is about safety. Our design should reflect safety,” Keter said.
The IEK said it would also continue working with government and private-sector players to strengthen professional standards, including through training on integrity, emerging technologies and artificial intelligence in engineering.
