Alarm over infiltration of fake engineers in Kenya
Engineers at a workshop at Kerugoya, in Kirinyaga county. They said the engineering industry has been invaded by quacks.
An engineers' lobby has sounded the alarm over the invasion of the industry by quacks who they say are responsible for poorly built buildings and structures across the country.
The Institution of Engineering Technologists and Technicians of Kenya (IET-K) lamented that quacks were responsible for the buildings which are collapsing in various parts of Kenya that have claimed numerous lives.
According to the IET-K chairman, Prof George Thumbi, the government should hasten the process of reconstituting the Kenya Engineering Technology Registration Board (KETRB) to get rid of the quacks who unprofessionally design and draw buildings for construction.
He observed that the term of the board expired in 2019 and a new one has not been reconstituted to register and regulate engineers in the country.
Speaking on Thursday at Kerugoya Becham Hotel in Kirinyaga County during a three-day workshop for engineers, Prof Thumbi said there was an urgent need to have the Board in place.
"There are so many quacks and that is why buildings are collapsing. To reduce them, we need the regulating board," said Prof Thumbi.
The IET-Kenya called on Road and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to ensure that the board is reconstituted without delay.
"We are appealing to the Roads CS to help us reconstitute the board because there is a crisis in the country," a member of the IET-K, Mr Charles Majani, said.
Further, the IET-K said due to the lack of a legally reconstituted board, more than 1,000 qualified engineers have not been registered.
"The engineers are suffering because they can't have licence to practice, only the Board can license them to operate but more than three years since its term expired it has not been reconstituted by the government," added Mr Majani.
The IET-K noted that graduates from engineering institutions are required to register with the board so as to practise as professionals in formal employment or self-employment.
"However, the term of the first board members expired in November 2019 and since then, none has been re-established, putting all new applicants for licensing at risk of not getting a decent livelihood. Furthermore, professionalisation of engineering technology members will greatly increase the quality of infrastructural work and accountability in all engineering technology practices," said Mr Drice Rono.
The IET-K expects the empowerment of engineering technologists, technicians and artisans who have a critical role in the engineering profession and practice for sustainable infrastructural development in Kenya.
Mr Rono asked his colleagues drawn from all corners of the country to uphold professionalism when carrying out their duties to avoid being prosecuted.
"If engineers operate outside the law they are liable to be taken to court," he said.
He admitted that there were quacks who had infiltrated the industry.
" We have quack engineers and that is why we want our members to be registered and regulated by a professional body which is recognised by an act of Parliament," added Mr Rono.
