The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has raised serious concerns about corruption, inefficiency, and lack of transparency in Nairobi’s development approval process, which is undermining urban development and public safety.
IEK President, Eng. Shammah Kiteme highlighted widespread corrupt practices within Nairobi City County’s approval system. Engineers have reported arbitrary delays or rejections of development plans unless bribes or favours are provided. “Such practices erode public trust, compromise the safety and integrity of the approval process, and hinder the pace and quality of urban development. This exposes the public to unsafe infrastructure and unjust outcomes,” Kiteme stated.
Despite the introduction of the Nairobi Planning and Development Management System (NPDMS), an online platform designed to streamline and digitize the approval process, engineers continue to face significant challenges. Kiteme noted that applications often remain unattended unless followed up through physical visits to county offices, with approvals sometimes taking up to a year. “This leads clients to perceive engineers as incompetent, damaging our members’ professional credibility. The system appears designed to foster desperation, encouraging bribes to secure approvals,” he said.
Kiteme accused some actors of deliberately undermining the NPDMS, citing issues such as delayed or missing payment confirmations, unclear workflows, inadequate feedback channels, excessive manual interventions, and poor integration with utilities, survey, and environmental departments. These inefficiencies, he argued, defeat the purpose of digitization and enable gatekeeping and rent-seeking.
“Nairobi, as a modern metropolis, relies on sound engineering and planning to ensure safe, efficient, and resilient infrastructure,” Kiteme emphasized. “Engineers are bound by ethical standards and technical rigor to uphold public safety. However, a compromised county system prevents us from fulfilling this mandate, resulting in delayed projects and substandard construction.”
The IEK has called on Nairobi City County, the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and other oversight bodies to take decisive action. Their demands include:
- Conducting a thorough audit of the development approval process.
- Holding accountable those involved in corruption or maladministration.
- Accelerating reforms to the NPDMS platform.
- Establishing and enforcing clear service-level timelines.
- Engaging professional bodies like IEK in designing and monitoring reforms.
“Engineers deserve a transparent and efficient approval process free from coercion or corruption,” Kiteme concluded. “The integrity of Kenya’s built environment and public safety depend on it. IEK remains committed to collaborating with Nairobi City County and stakeholders to create an accountable system that prioritizes public interest and restores dignity to Nairobi’s residents.”
