A special committee involving construction regulators has been formed to help look into challenges surrounding issuance of construction permits in Kenya that have been dragging the country down in global business competitiveness.
The committee will look into the nature of construction permits Kenya and related challenges.
The team will then advise on whether the permits should be simplified or eliminated going forward, depending on their relevance.
Acting Lands, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has already formed a committee consisting of the National Construction Authority (NCA) and other regulators as well as stakeholders in the sector to look at the issue.
The recent World Bank’s 2016 Ease of Doing Business Index, places Kenya as the third most-improved nation in business regulatory reforms among 189 economies.
The report placed Kenya at position 108, an improvement by 21 places from last year’s position.
But difficulties in acquiring construction permits affected the country’s overall ranking.
According to the World Bank report Kenya made dealing with construction permits more difficult by increasing the costs for both water and sewerage connections.
Proposals reached by the committee would be forwarded ministry of lands, and then to the Cabinet before Parliament enacts the relevant legislation to help tackle challenges in the sector.
Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) CEO Carole Kariuki has also in the past said that there was need to enhancethe laws and regulations dealing with the rigorous process of issuing the construction permits.
Ms Kariuki had said during the release of the World Bank’s index on October 28 that despite these achievements, more can be done to improve other indicators within the construction industry.
