Built Environment Professionals Demand Pause on Practitioners Bill Over Public Participation Concerns
By Peace Muthoka
NAIROBI, Kenya — Built environment professionals have called on the government to pause the proposed Architectural and Quantity Surveying Practitioners Bill, 2026, pending inclusive consultations with all affected stakeholders.
The professionals, representing architects, engineers, construction managers, planners, surveyors, interior designers, lawyers, technologists and contractors, said the development of the proposed legislation had not adequately involved key players in the built environment sector.
Speaking during a joint press briefing at Panafrica Hotel in Nairobi on Friday, October 16, the associations said they supported reforms aimed at modernising professional regulation, raising standards and protecting the public. However, they opposed what they described as a closed process that had left some professional bodies without a meaningful opportunity to contribute.
“We are not opposed to reform. We welcome a modern regulatory framework that raises standards, protects the public and strengthens our professions,” the joint statement said.
“What we cannot accept is legislation of this magnitude being shaped behind closed doors, by a select few on behalf of the many.”
The associations said they had come together to formally register their objection to the manner in which the Bill had been developed and published. They urged the government to halt further progress on the proposed law until all affected stakeholders had been properly and openly consulted.
The professionals warned that legislation affecting the built environment must reflect the interests and technical expertise of the different disciplines involved in designing, constructing, managing and maintaining buildings and infrastructure.
They raised concerns that some key professional bodies had not been invited to participate adequately in the drafting process or given a fair opportunity to review the proposed law and submit their views.
They also questioned the transparency of the consultation process, including the criteria used to select stakeholders and the handling of submissions made by those who had participated.
According to the associations, inadequate consultation could result in regulatory overlaps, gaps and conflicts between the different professions, potentially complicating the administration of professional standards and responsibilities.
The Bill has implications for a wide range of practitioners whose work contributes to the planning, design, construction and management of buildings and infrastructure. The associations said their involvement was therefore essential to ensuring that the proposed legal framework was practical, coordinated and responsive to the needs of the entire sector.
They further expressed concern about the involvement of young professionals and students, particularly on provisions that could affect registration, licensing, internship fees and entry into professional practice.
The groups said the concerns should be addressed before the legislation proceeds, noting that decisions on professional training and registration could have long-term implications for the next generation of practitioners.
Among their demands is an immediate pause on the Bill to allow for an inclusive stakeholder forum bringing together professional associations, regulators, academic institutions, industry players and members of the public.
They also called for a clear consultation framework with defined timelines, access to the full draft Bill and a transparent public record of stakeholder submissions.
In addition, the associations urged the government to adopt a harmonised approach to regulating the built environment, rather than pursuing a framework that could create divisions or conflicting requirements among related professions.
The call was made jointly by the Architects Alliance, Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), Interior Designers Association of Kenya (IDAK), Association of Construction Managers of Kenya (ACMK), Town and County Planners Association of Kenya, Institution of Surveyors of Kenya, Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Institution of Engineering Technology of Kenya (IET-K) and Kenya Federation of Master Builders (KFMB).
Ephraim Kakui, president of the Association of Construction Managers of Kenya, and George Washington, president of the Interior Designers Association of Kenya, were among the professionals who addressed the concerns surrounding the proposed legislation.
The associations maintained that their objection was not a rejection of professional reform but a demand for a process that gives all affected parties a fair opportunity to contribute before decisions are finalised.
They said meaningful public participation would help build confidence in the proposed law, reduce the risk of conflicting regulations and ensure that the interests of practitioners and the public are adequately considered.
The professionals urged the government to engage the wider built environment sector before taking further steps on the Bill, saying inclusive consultation was necessary for developing a regulatory framework that would serve the country effectively.
