Earlier this year, Arch. George Arabbu Ndege, was elected to serve as President of Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) for a two-year term. We talked to Arch. Ndege on a range of issues after he assumed office.
YOU MAY ALSO WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnwrFiNNErs
You’ve taken office with a new team. What does your team bring to AAK?
We’ve assembled a broad and inclusive team that reflects the diverse professions within the built environment. AAK is an umbrella body representing eight professional chapters—ranging from regulated professions like architecture and engineering to emerging ones like interior design and project management. We also include technologists, technicians, and licentiates—individuals doing critical work in the industry but often unrecognized or unregulated.
Our council now has representation from all chapters, including students, to ensure the entire professional ecosystem is engaged. Our cities aren’t built by white-collar professionals alone; they’re shaped by everyone, from licensed consultants to developers building their own homes. Our aim is to bring all these voices into one coordinated platform.
As the new president, what’s your vision and your key priorities?
We made significant progress in the last session, and my goal is to build on that momentum. We’re working on a five-year strategic plan guided by five key priorities:
- Governance and Sustainability – We’re focused on making AAK financially stable and operationally efficient. With nearly 100 council members, we aim to streamline responsibilities and enhance our revenue streams to support advocacy and other initiatives.
- Professional Regulation – Half our chapters are not formally regulated. We’re engaging with government to include emerging professions and ensure all practitioners are held to consistent standards. Regulation is also key to monitoring foreign professionals and ensuring accountability.
- Urban Planning and Development Control – Currently, each of Kenya’s 47 counties has its own development control guidelines, even though they reference the same national standards. This fragmentation must be addressed. We also need to confront the issue of irregular developments, which are unfortunately the norm.
- Business Practices and Ethics – We’re working on standard operating procedures, contract management, and internal disciplinary measures. Some malpractice stems from our own members, so we need to clean house and elevate standards, especially with the rise of green building and sustainable finance.
- Member Support and Capacity Building – We want to better equip our members through education, tools, and policy advocacy to improve the business environment and ensure quality work across the board.
What’s the current state of the construction industry in Kenya?
The industry is growing, but not always in the right direction. From a purely quantitative perspective, there’s a lot happening—just look at Nairobi: buildings everywhere, roads under construction, infrastructure projects.
But if you view it through a professional lens—sustainability, urban design, quality of life—it’s concerning. Are we building livable cities or urban chaos? The answer leans toward the latter. The pressure of urbanization is not matched with proper planning. Growth is amorphous and largely unchecked. I’m less worried about how fast we’re growing, and more about how we’re growing.
A new building code was recently introduced. Has there been enough awareness?
There’s definitely been a lot of industry discussion. The revised building code has been long-awaited, and professionals are aware of it. We’re now collaborating with the National Construction Authority (NCA) to broaden public awareness.
The building code isn’t just for architects or engineers—it’s for the entire sector. Even developers and fundis (artisans) must adhere to it. To that end, a simplified “popular version” of the code has been developed to make it accessible. Awareness is improving, but the bigger challenge now is enforcement. People need to not only know about the code but also follow it—and we’re working to ensure they do.
There was some dissatisfaction during the code’s drafting, especially from emerging professionals. Has that been addressed?
Yes, several chapters—especially those representing newer professions like interior design and project management—felt excluded. Their concerns were valid, and AAK supported their push for recognition.
It’s important to note that the building code draws on existing legislation. So even if a profession isn’t directly named in the code, that may be because it lacks recognition in the law. This situation underscores the need for legislative reform to formally acknowledge all professions.
Mention in the code is important, but without legal recognition, practitioners aren’t held accountable. As these professions gain recognition, they’ll also carry the burden of regulation and continuous professional development—which we welcome.
Some of these emerging groups say they’re ready for self-regulation. What’s your view?
AAK already operates as a self-regulating body, but legal recognition makes it non-negotiable for professionals to be involved in projects. For example, landscape architecture is often overlooked in development approvals, but it’s crucial for green, livable urban spaces. Similarly, interior design is not optional—we spend most of our lives indoors, and poor design affects our health.
Recognition in law would allow these professions to contribute fully, from planning to interior fit-outs. Ultimately, this ensures better outcomes for everyone.
We’ve seen buildings collapse, and sometimes your members are listed on those projects. How are you addressing accountability?
Construction is complex, and failure often results from process breakdowns. While some collapsing buildings list AAK members on their signage, that doesn’t mean those professionals were involved throughout the project. Many are engaged only at the drawing and approval stages, and are left out of supervision and execution.
We’ve received increasing complaints from the public and are setting up a permanent disciplinary committee to investigate such cases. We don’t assume guilt without evidence, but we recognize that ethical lapses do happen.
Surveys by the National Building Inspectorate and NCA have shown that many buildings bypass professionals entirely or use them only up to the approval stage. That’s a huge problem. Proper procedure must be followed end to end—design, approval, construction, and oversight. Only then can we prevent these tragedies.
Do you plan to be more proactive in monitoring construction sites?
Our role isn’t to police every construction site—we simply don’t have the capacity. More importantly, reacting after a building collapses is already too late. Our approach is preventive rather than reactive. We want to address issues before they become disasters.
Through initiatives like Je Una Mjengo? and its subset Mulika Mjengo, we’re working to educate the public on what to look out for in safe, quality construction. Prevention starts with awareness—basic things like proper ventilation, safe building materials, natural lighting, and structural integrity. These factors often go unnoticed but have a huge impact on health and safety.
A collapsed building may be the most visible sign of failure, but the more widespread issue is the number of unhealthy, substandard buildings that silently affect people’s well-being every day. Our goal is to shine a light on these hidden risks and promote better building practices from the ground up.
How would you assess the quality of professionals entering the field today? Are Kenyan universities producing well-trained graduates?
That’s a tough question without in-depth research, but we do see challenges.
We now have five universities offering built environment programs, but resources are stretched. Training an architect or engineer is expensive—much more so than a typical degree. With universities facing funding constraints, quality can suffer, especially in practical training.
We’re also concerned about the gap between academia and industry. Internships and industrial placements are limited, making it difficult for students to gain real-world experience. If we don’t address this, we’ll see a growing number of graduates with degrees but without adequate hands-on knowledge.
Final thoughts?
The built environment isn’t just about structures—it’s about the quality of life. We need to make sure that every profession involved in shaping our cities is recognised, regulated, and supported. It’s a collective responsibility—from professionals to the public—to demand and deliver better spaces, healthier homes, and more sustainable urban futures.
