Nairobi City County is set to roll out digital identification cards for planning compliance officers to curb illegal inspections at construction sites by imposters and unqualified individuals.
Chief Officer for Urban Planning Patrick Analo acknowledged developers’ concerns over unauthorized site visits, noting that some of those posing as inspectors include criminals, members of the public, and even retired county officers.
“We have had complaints from developers where people visit construction sites, and some of these people are imposters. Some are former county officers who have retired but go to sites purporting to conduct inspections,” Analo stated.
He also pointed out that some local officers lacking expertise in engineering, physical planning, or architecture have been carrying out inspections, leading to confusion and undermining the regulatory process.
To address this, City Hall has recruited and trained over 50 new planning compliance officers and deployed them across sub-counties.
Analo highlighted that the absence of properly assigned officers in certain areas had allowed imposters to exploit the situation.
“That was one of the challenges. When there is no rightful officer to conduct inspections, imposters step in. Several have been arrested, and you will be seeing that in the media,” he said.
Additionally, City Hall has distributed reflector jackets to compliance officers for easy identification while on duty.
“We have assured developers that we support them in doing the right thing. They play an important role in the growth of our city and contribute to our GDP. We want to ensure that only legitimate officers visit construction sites,” Analo emphasized.
