Kenya’s construction industry plays a big role in socio-economic development. The industry contributes greatly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product given its linkages to the various sectors of the economy. Kenya’s vision 2030 recognizes construction as an enabler that will drive the country to become globally competitive and prosperous with a high quality of life by the year 2030. Construction is thus a critical component to the country’s development and its impact is felt at both national and regional levels.
The performance of the construction industry is an indicator of economic performance of the country and has linkages with other sectors through the demand for materials, labour input and infrastructure services. Improved performance of this sector therefore contributes to wealth and employment creation. Since independence the industry has exhibited mixed signals in its performance however of late, there has been a gradual steady increase in performance despite existing challenges which curtail sustained improvement.
The challenges that require to be addressed by policy interventions so that performance in the industry can be enhanced include the following;
- Low completion rates of construction projects
- Lengthy procurement procedures
- Low access to affordable project financing
- Inadequate harmony in policies, laws and regulations
- Low technological uptake and exposure levels of stakeholders to
international best practises
- Use of inappropriate construction material
- Poor quality of works as a result of poor workmanship and use of
substandard materials
- Unethical conduct and unfair business practises
- Inadequate skilled and competent workforce
- Lack of a standard monitoring and evaluation framework
- Inadequate capacity for enforcement of standards and regulations 12) Poor practises in safety and health management
Absence of a comprehensive Construction Industry Policy has continued to expose the industry to these challenges. Therefore, the government is hopeful that this policy will address the above challenges for improved performance of the industry. The Construction Industry Policy was prepared through a consultative process bringing together various professionals and other stakeholders in the industry. In the spirit of our constitution public participation was conducted which makes this policy relevant to the needs of all industry stakeholders and general public.
The government therefore calls upon all stakeholders to support the successful implementation of this policy in order to realize the envisioned aspirations.
Cabinet Secretary
Ministry of Transport Infrastructure Housing and Urban Development