VituVingiSana wrote:a4architect.com wrote:In CBD we are also witnessing many new buidings coming up kienyeji style especially along Koinange street area.
Now that more and more indigenous Kenyans are constructing in these prime locations, its the duty of NCC to fully enforce controls since we cant assume that the owners will foresee the need to uphold standards just by themselves.
I find this comment (even if well-meaning) bordering on racism/ethnicism
Racism/Ethicity how? Please expound.
The building is owned by a Kikuyu-a very successful Mitumba dealer. Am also a Kikuyu.
Am only pointing out what happens in reality in Kenya construction industry.
Buildings have colapsed in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisii,Kisumu,Kakamega within the last 1 year.
The common denominator for all these is ownership by indigenous Kenyans who have recently amased money enough for high rise construction e.g Kikuyu,Kisii,Arab,Luhya, Jaluo e.t.c.
The all have negated using professionals in their projects.
Compare this to most of upperhill owned by south africans, Americans,Europeans and a few Africans-whether or not NCC enforcement is used, they will still use professionals. This is coz they also made the same mistake and learnt-not coz they are more intelligent.
Indigenous Kenyans who don't know the importance of using consultants in their projects plus a Cit Council that does not enforce to ensure these use the consultants fully.
Check Kenyatta family or Ndegwa family projects-also indigenous Kenyans but somehow they understand that construction projects must have the full consultancy team for it to be successful. They don't wait for NCC enforcement to do this.
A newer crop of rich Kenyans has come up but they dont know the importance of consultancy and NCC does not force them to adhere to using consultants hence building collapse.
Another example is this:
A south African who has seen and invested in high rise buildings for say over 50 years has most definitely seen a building collapse due to not using professionals. If he comes to Kenya to build the same, he will most likely use professionals even without NCC enforcement coz he knows of the danger.
Likewise, as Kenyans learn from their mistakes, they will go to other emerging countries e.g Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan and construct using professionals since they will have learnt from their mistakes.
Its all about collective experience.
As Iron Sharpens Iron, So one Man Sharpens Another.