The government has said there are 716 buildings categorised as unsafe for occupation across the country.
Principal Secretary ministry of Public Works Gordon Kihalangwa on Friday said Nairobi’s Huruma slum was leading with the highest number at 323 buildings.
Kihalangwa was speaking during a joint press briefing with the National Construction Authority on the status of the construction sector in the country.
He said that as a result, the government will be rolling out a standardised building code that will be implemented by both the county and national governments.
Kihalangwa said so far members of the public are allowed to air the views on the code until January 10.
“We want the code to be rolled out by end of January. So those who feel their ideas have not been captured have until January 10 to do so,” he said.
He added, “This code is important and is anchored in the National Construction Authority. It sets certain standards that all contractors and other players in the construction sector will have to oblige to”.
He said the code will play a key role to ensuring cases of loss of live and property are minimised as a result of low quality of buildings.
We have categories of buildings marked dangerous, unsafe and fair. This we have established is as a result of unplanned slums and some buildings being set up at night. But with the code in place that will be a thing of the past,” Kihalangwa said.
He said the government will continue to take stern action against developments on areas marked as riparian land or road reserve.
With regards to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s affordable housing, the PS affirmed that the project is on course.
He said so far some 2500 housed are ready for occupation in mid next year.
He said the Pangani and Park road project is progressing well and the contractors finalising ahead of occupation at the scheduled time.
Occupants will however have to apply under the 'Boma Yetu' initiative.
In 2016, the National Construction Authority released a list of 204 unsafe residential buildings that would be demolished.
The list, released by chief executive Daniel Manduku, came a week after the collapse of a six-storey building in Huruma.
The building left over 35 people dead.
Other unsafe buildings were said to be in Dagoretti, Umoja, Thika Road, South B and Zimmerman.
Then, Huruma had the highest number of condemned buildings at 58, followed by Zimmerman with 28.
In South B, 19 houses on Hazina Estate, owned by the National Social Security Fund managers were also said to be at risk of demolition.
The authority said it was a clear indication that 70 percent of the buildings in Nairobi are unsafe.
Manduku said the audit of buildings had been delayed by Treasury’s failure to release Sh150 million for the work.
The planned demolition however failed to kick off after then NYS director general Richard Ndubai complained over safety of his team.
NYS service men and women were supposed to implement the directive but had been attacked by people opposed to the move in previous demolitions.
Lands executive Christopher Khaemba said Ndubai complained that his officers were pelted with stones by goons in the past and will only resume the work if their safety is guaranteed.
“We have already assembled the machinery but the the director general raised pertinent issues that we had to listen to,” said Khaemba.