NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 8– The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the National Construction Authority (NCA) have launched a strengthened partnership to crack down on illegal construction, professional negligence and regulatory breaches blamed for a growing number of building collapses and unsafe developments across Kenya.
The new collaboration will see the two agencies tighten the investigation and prosecution of construction-related offences, including illegal developments, fraudulent approvals, abuse of office, environmental violations and cases where negligence leads to deaths or injuries.
The commitment was announced following a bilateral meeting between Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga and the NCA leadership led by Board Chairperson Mercy Okiro at the ODPP headquarters in Nairobi.
Ingonga said the partnership is intended to strengthen accountability in the construction sector as Kenya continues to grapple with fatal building collapses and widespread non-compliance with construction standards.
“The safety of Kenyans must remain paramount. As the country continues to experience incidents of collapsed buildings and unsafe developments, it is imperative that regulatory breaches attracting criminal liability are investigated thoroughly and prosecuted effectively,” he said.
“This partnership will enhance our capacity to hold offenders accountable while promoting compliance with the law.”
The DPP said the two institutions would establish a structured referral and escalation framework to ensure construction-related cases with potential criminal liability are investigated early and prosecuted more effectively.
He added that the ODPP would continue supporting prosecution-guided investigations and specialised training for prosecutors handling technically complex construction cases.
“Effective prosecution depends on well-investigated cases supported by sound evidence. Through joint training and a structured referral framework, we will improve the quality of investigations and ensure that criminal conduct within the construction sector is addressed decisively,” Ingonga said.
The agencies also agreed to strengthen coordination with investigative bodies, county governments and other regulators while rolling out joint capacity-building programmes for prosecutors, investigators and NCA enforcement officers.
NCA Board Chairperson Mercy Okiro said closer collaboration with prosecutors would strengthen enforcement of construction laws and improve public safety.
“The National Construction Authority is committed to ensuring that all construction projects comply with the law and prescribed standards,” she said.
“By working closely with the ODPP, we will strengthen enforcement mechanisms and ensure that individuals whose actions endanger lives through illegal or unsafe construction practices are held accountable.”
She added that specialised training would improve the quality of investigation files submitted for prosecution by ensuring they meet the ODPP’s evidentiary requirements and Decision to Charge Guidelines.
Kenya has witnessed repeated cases of collapsed buildings and unsafe developments in recent years, raising concerns over weak enforcement of construction laws, forged approvals, professional negligence and failure to comply with safety regulations.
Under the National Construction Authority Act and its regulations, all public and private construction projects must be registered before work begins.
