Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has come under sharp criticism after the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) accused his administration of persistent corruption.
IEK on Saturday, April 26, expressed frustrations over the growing challenges faced by its members in the submission and approval of development plans in Nairobi City County.
In a statement, the Institution claimed that its members were frustrated by entrenched corruption, inefficiency, and lack of transparency in the development approval process by the county government.
According to IEK, a section of engineers reported instances where their development plans were intentionally delayed or rejected unless they paid a bribe to hasten the approval process.
"Such practices erode public trust, jeopardise the safety and integrity of the approval process. Corruption directly affects the pace and quality of urban development, exposing the public to unsafe infrastructure and unjust development outcomes," IEK lamented.
The Institution further noted that despite the establishment of the Nairobi Planning and Development Management System (NPDMS), an online approval platform, many development applications still experienced unnecessary delays.
IEK disclosed that the NPDMS, which was initially intended to simplify, streamline and digitise the approval process, has now been purposely made to fail.
The engineering body also revealed that the corrupt system in Nairobi County was designed to cause desperation and induce the need to bribe to get services.
While hitting out at Sakaja's administration, IEK indicated that unless follow-ups are made through physical visits to the county offices, submissions remained unattended.
"Engineers have a professional duty to uphold public safety, guided by ethical standards, aligning with technical rigour. However, when county systems are compromised, engineers are unable to execute their mandate effectively," IEK noted.
To tame the prevalent corruption within the Nairobi County government, IEK called on the Ministry of Lands to intervene and conduct a thorough audit of the development plan approval process.
The Institution also urged the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to apprehend and hold accountable those found culpable of corruption or maladministration.
