The Brief Is....... Provide Six Million Housing Units in Twenty Years

[caption id="attachment_1503" align="alignnone" width="640" caption="Image of Nyayo Estate in Embakasi. Source: Business Daily Website"][/caption]

Kenya needs a new master plan to help deliver at least six million housing units over the next 20 years if the current housing shortage is to be overcome, architects have said.

According to Mr Steven Oundo, the chairman of the Architectural Association of Kenya, this means that about 300,000 units will need to be produced every year.

Currently, it is estimated that the country produces between 35,000 and 40,000 units a year against a demand of about 150,000 units in urban areas alone.

“This (our proposal) is a realistic target,” said Mr Oundo.

One way of encouraging such developments, he said, was for the government to provide tax incentives, including value added tax exemption on professional services for consultants involved in low-cost development projects worth at least Sh20 million.

The conclusion of the revisions to the building code will also promote the adoption of new technologies in building, considering that it is more performance- than material-specific, he added.

“The high construction cost has been compounded by high taxation of building materials. There are few locally manufactured materials used in Kenya. We are, therefore, exposed to such increases in costs of building materials, compounded by the weakening position of the Kenya shilling against the major world currencies,” he said.

The increasing cost of electricity, he added, also impacts negatively on the construction costs, particularly with regard to cement production where there is heavy consumption of electricity.

“We end up producing cement that is much more expensive than that produced in Egypt or India,” he said.

“We find ourselves in a situation where planning for amenities follows development instead of the actual construction being undertaken on serviced land. This has partly contributed to excessive speculation on land prices.”

Source: Daily Nation

Battle for Vice Chairmanship as AAK goes to the polls

The Architectural Association of Kenya members will be electing a new governing council before their 44th AGM to be held on Friday, 25th March 2011. Incumbent chairman, Arch. Steven Oundo, is largely expected to retain his seat for a second term with indications that he will be running for the seat unopposed. Arch. Oundo has been largely credited for having spearheading reforms in the construction sector and has been at the forefront in the fight against unfair procurement procedures that AAK members have been subjected to in the past.

The race has thus shifted to the position of vice chairman, with three strong contenders for the post. This is seemingly the most strategic position to hold for those seeking to take over after Arch. Oundo clears his second and final term as AAK chairman in 2013. Those in the race are Arch. Waweru Gathecha - immediate former chairman AAK Architects Chapter, Arch. Maxwell Suero - immediate former chairman of AAK Mombasa branch and QS Festus Litiku - the incumbent vice chairman. QS Litiku is facing a daunting task to retain his seat.

This election also brings to the fore the voting procedures for the association. Currently, the association sends ballot papers to all its eligible members via post. These members are then required to fill up the ballots and return them to the secretariat before a set deadline. This procedure, besides being too costly for the association, is also prone to irregularities. A member is planning to move a motion to have the elections conducted via the association's website which was recently upgraded.

The election results will be announced on 25th march at the AGM.

AAK Chairman's Dinner

The Chairman, Architectural Association of Kenya  invites you to the 2010 AAK end of year Chairman’s Dinner  to be held on Thursday 9^th December 2010 at the  Laico Regency Hotel starting 6:30pm.

Entrance: Members – Single - Ksh. 2,000/- ,  Couples – Ksh. 3,500/-

Non Members – Ksh. 2,500/- per person

Corporate Tables available at Ksh. 25,000/-

Please make your advance booking by contacting AAK Secretariat on 2224806 / 0721 691 337 or by email: aak@aak.or.ke

World Town Planning Day

The World is once again set to mark the World Town Planning Day on 8^th November 2010. This is a day that the International Community has set aside to reflect on the state of planning, development and management of world cities and urban settlements.

You are all invited to join the World community in marking this important annual event.

Venue: Kenyatta International Conference Centre, (KICC), Nairobi starting from 8am

Organized by:

The Architectural Association of Kenya(AAK Town Planners Chapter) andInternational Society of City & Regional Planners, The Hague / Netherlands (ISOCARP)

Key Partners:

UN-Habitat, Ministry of Lands, ODPM and Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development and City Council of Nairobi

Contact the Architectural Association of Kenya for more information.

Kibaki tells Architects, “You are Damn Expensive.”

Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki has challenged professionals in the construction industry to partner with the government to facilitate swift implementation of projects that will improve the social welfare of citizens.

President Kibaki noted that prohibitive consultancy fees charged by professionals in the industry frustrated project implementation apart from making even ordinary projects unattainable.

He said that there was need to tackle temptations of inflating consultancy fees adding that they must reflect realistic cost and asked the Architectural Association of Kenya to deal with the matter.

The Head of State noted that projects that directly benefited Kenyans were unnecessarily overpriced thus frustrating government’s efforts to improve the living standards of wananchi.

The President made the remarks on Monday when he met members of the Architectural Association of Kenya at his Harambee House Office.

The Head of State affirmed that many ordinary Kenyans intuitively knew the realistic cost of undertaking simple projects such as constructing a common classroom or other similar projects.

Urging the professionals to strive in meeting the expectations of the rural poor, President Kibaki noted that most of the construction materials were locally available, hence the need to price projects realistically.

He noted that many professionals were driven by the desire to make huge earnings, causing anguish to many Kenyans.

He challenged professionals to partner with government as the country embarked on an ambitious infrastructural development programme.

The Head of State told the professionals comprising architects, quantity surveyors, town planers, engineers, environmental design consultants and construction project managers that the government had channelled substantial funds through initiatives like the Constituency Development Fund.

The President noted there was need for prudent utilisation of the funds because of the many other public projects that needed funding across various sectors of the society.

Speaking during the occasion, Public Works Minister Chris Obure said the government was keen to work closely with the AAK particularly in developing the country’s infrastructure.

Mr Obure, however, decried the high rate at which qualified staff exited the public service for other lucrative appointments in the private sector, thus endangering the delivery of quality service to the public.

On his part, AAK Chairperson Mr Steven Oundo thanked President Kibaki and his government for rolling out one the most ambitious infrastructural development in the country’s history.

Mr Oundo affirmed that AAK was keen on partnering with the government in making Kenya a better country through the implementation of various development projects aimed at unlocking the country’s economic potential.

In attendance were Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Amb. Francis Muthaura, Public Works Permanent Secretary Prof John Lonyangapuo and other senior government officials.

Source: Daily Nation