As construction industry in Africa continues to record growth most of the professional in the industry want to ensure that they get a fair share in the industry.
Recently, Kenya was named as one of the most competent country when it comes to construction in the East Africa meaning they have more professional than any other country in the region. Source DELOITTE.
Therefore it means most of the graduates from the region will need to be recognized by key bodies and so that they can be able to get to carry out the key projects In Kenya.
Like in most leading economies, there are institutions established by various laws that serve to regulate the practice of professionals in construction .
Today we shall cover the professional registration bodies of various professionals and entities that operate in Kenya’s construction industry.
ARCHITECTS AND QUANTITY SURVEYORS – BORAQS
Architects are usually the lead in the construction industry more so in Kenya it has a good number of qualified architects from both Technical and university schools meaning they need to be registered in order to carry out their mandates.
They are always the lead consultants in most developments in Kenya – they spearhead the design process of most projects in Kenya. Some developers also prefer to engage an architect at the level of a project manager.
Enter BORAQS – Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors. This is the body mandated by Chapter 525 (CAP 525) ‘The Architects and Quantity Surveyors Act’ of the Laws of Kenya to regulate the professional practice of architecture and quantity surveying in Kenya through setting standards and approving courses or training programs for its members.
ENGINEERS – EBK
Engineers too are key in many development as long as construction is involved and therefore Civil engineers , Structural engineers, Mechanical and electrical engineers are most liely the team that you will e able to meat in the Kenyan’s construction industry .
Like architects and quantity surveyors, the practice of engineering is governed by the Laws of Kenya. Previously, the now-defunct Engineers Registration Board was established under Chapter 30 (CAP 30) of the Laws of Kenya of 1969.
In Kenya they have a current board, Engineers Board of Kenya, replaced ERB through the Engineers Act of 2011 which was assented on January 27, 2012. Like BORAQS, the EBK has been empowered by the act to register engineers and engineering firms, regulating the practice of engineering in Kenya and setting standards among the professionals in Kenya’s construction sector.
The categories of engineers registered by the board include:
1. Consulting and Professional engineers
2. Graduate engineers
3. Engineering consulting firms
4. Foreigners
Each of these categories has its own qualifications and modes of application in order for you to be registered.
CONTRACTORS
In Kenya the say Contractors have domindated the construction industry , whenever a building collapses, the topic that will get tongues wagging is that of ‘rogue contractors’.
When the National Construction Authority (NCA) act was assented, the phrases ‘the days of briefcase contractors are numbered’ or ‘we will rein in all the rogue contractors’ filled the real estate columns in our newspapers.
Contractors and sub-contractors are involved in the actual process of assembling different materials and erecting structures. Previously, contractors were registered by the now defunct Ministry of Roads and Public Works. Currently, all contractors are supposed to be registered by the National Construction Authority which came up upon the passing of the National Construction Authority Act No. 41 of 2011.
