Photo Caption:Built environment professionals during a press briefing in Nairobi on Monday, August 24, 2026, where they rejected the Architectural and Quantity Surveying Practitioners Bill, 2026, in its current form.
NAIROBI, August 24, 2026 — Built environment professional associations have rejected the Architectural and Quantity Surveying Practitioners Bill, 2026, in its current form, saying the proposed legislation fails to adequately recognise the distinct roles, competencies and responsibilities of different professions in the sector.
The Interior Designers Association of Kenya (IDAK), Association of Construction Managers of Kenya (ACMK) and The Architects Alliance said they support regulation but are demanding a framework that provides appropriate professional autonomy while ensuring effective coordination and public protection.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on Monday, ACMK President Ephraim Kakui said the Bill seeks to regulate architects, quantity surveyors, interior designers, landscape architects, construction project managers and technicians under a single board despite their different education systems, competencies and scopes of practice.
“One profession should not effectively regulate another profession. Representation by a single member on a broad board is not the same as meaningful professional self-regulation,” said Kakui.
He called on Parliament to suspend consideration of the Bill, review previous research on the regulation of built environment professions and undertake an inclusive stakeholder process before developing a comprehensive regulatory framework.
Kakui also called for the immediate resignation of the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works, Hon. Joseph K. Tanui, who is also the Bill’s sponsor, citing what he described as a conflict of interest.
Muchiri L. Waititu, a Council Member of The Architects Alliance, said architects were concerned about the implications of the proposed legislation for public safety, particularly amid persistent challenges in the construction sector.
“The government is not a player in the engagement. It is a referee. Now, when the referee decides to come in and play the game of football, then you have a problem,” said Waititu.
He said the regulatory framework for architects and quantity surveyors, established in 1934, had not adequately evolved to accommodate professions that have since emerged, including construction management and interior design.
Prof. George Washington Karani, President of IDAK, said interior design was a mature profession requiring specialised regulation and should not be reduced merely to decoration.
“Interior design is the process. All of us spend our entire day in interior spaces, meaning your health, safety and general welfare are important aspects when it comes to interiors,” said Karani.
He proposed profession-specific regulatory boards working alongside a broader Built Environment Council responsible for coordination and policy, saying a single representative could not adequately represent the interests of an entire profession.
Karani said the proposed arrangement risked treating established professions as subordinate to others despite their distinct training and professional responsibilities.
Nashon Makori, a former president and council member of the Association of African-Americans of Kenya, said Kenya needed legislation capable of guiding the construction and built environment sector for the next 20 years rather than addressing short-term interests.
“This is a bill for the next five years. It is not a bill for the next 20. The construction and research sector requires a bill for the next 20 years,” said Makori.
He said persistent building collapses, project delays and cost overruns were signs that the current regulatory system was not sufficiently effective.
Makori cited research associated with Professor Alfred Omenya and said Kenya could draw lessons from countries such as South Africa, where different built environment professions have independent regulatory structures.
He also expressed concern over the growing involvement of foreign contractors and professionals, saying stronger professional development and regulation would enable Kenyan practitioners to compete more effectively.
The associations called on the National Assembly to reject the Bill in its current form, review previous research and policy proposals, conduct an inclusive stakeholder process and develop comprehensive legislation for the regulation and coordination of Kenya’s built environment professions.
They said effective regulation should promote professional autonomy, clear accountability, public safety and the long-term development of Kenya’s built environment sector.
