Less than 30 percent of all the 70,000 registered contractors in Kenya have valid practicing licences, the National Construction Authority (NCA) has revealed. In an interview with the Business Daily, Executive Director Eng. Maurice Akech said only 22,000 contractors had complied with the annual renewal of licences.
Eng. Akech also said the NCA The Authority had registered more than 400,000 construction workers out of which 135,000 were skilled workers with NCA accreditation badges.
Eng. Akech, who is also the Registrar of Contractors, however said his organization had made several key achievements, among them the publishing of a register of contractors and developing a code of conduct for the construction industry.
“We expect to publish a building code replacing the one developed in 1968 by the first quarter of the financial year starting July. All our services are offered on automated platforms,” said Eng. Akech.
On malpractices in the industry, the director said the law empowered NCA to take action against contractors that breach the standard requirement for construction.
“The board of the NCA carries out an enquiry which is like a quasi-judicial process, leading to certain actions after the findings and recommendations.
“Over the past four years, we have had 36 inquiries following collapses that have caused either death or injuries for which 50 percent of contractors have been suspended, with the longest period being 36 months.”
