Three professional bodies representing Kenya’s built environment sector have called for the withdrawal of the proposed Architectural and Quantity Surveying Practitioners Bill, 2026, arguing that it seeks to place distinct professions under a single regulatory framework.
The Association of Construction Managers of Kenya (ACMK), Interior Designers Association of Kenya (IDAK) and The Architects Alliance (TAA) said they support effective regulation of the sector but questioned the proposed establishment of one board to oversee architects, quantity surveyors, construction managers, interior designers and landscape architects.
The associations raised concerns over overlapping jurisdictions, potential conflicts of interest and operational challenges arising from consolidating licensing, fee structures, education standards and disciplinary procedures under a single board.
They urged Parliament to withdraw the current draft and facilitate a broader review involving stakeholders from all affected professions.
Former ACMK chairman Nashon Okowa has also criticised the proposed legislation, describing it as inconsistent with the direction professionals had advocated in previous sector reform discussions.
Okowa recalled that in 2019, while serving as ACMK chairman, he helped establish a Built Environment Coalition that brought together leaders from various professional associations. The coalition commissioned a study by Prof. Omenya that examined professional regulation in Kenya and other jurisdictions, including South Africa, Australia and the UK.
According to Okowa, the study found widespread dissatisfaction with existing regulatory arrangements and recommended stronger professional-led regulation, recognition of emerging professions and the establishment of a broader built environment council.
He said the proposed 2026 Bill departs significantly from those recommendations by placing five professions under a Board of Regulation of Architects and Quantity Surveyors.
Okowa particularly criticised the proposed inclusion of construction and project management, interior design and landscape architecture under a board associated with other professions.
He pointed to South Africa, where separate regulatory boards were established for built environment professions, arguing that Kenya should adopt a similarly differentiated approach.
“This bill needs to be withdrawn pronto,” Okowa said, describing it as unsuitable for the sector’s long-term development.
