9. Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2013 National Building Maintenance Policy for Kenya
The Policy document provides for maintenance of buildings to inform on responsibilities of property owners/developers.
Last updated
The Policy document provides for maintenance of buildings to inform on responsibilities of property owners/developers.
Last updated
· The Policy document was formulated to ensure the proper maintenance of buildings. Maintenance works have been defined to include ‘inspection, testing, planning, organizing, servicing classification to serviceability, repair, refurbishment, re-building, rehabilitation, reclamation, renewal adaptation and setting standards.’
· The policy acknowledges that maintenance of buildings and related infrastructure has been a neglected area in Kenya with maintenance works being done in an ad hoc fashion typified by few or no record keeping, low prioritization and low budgeting. This has resulted in sick buildings that are dilapidated, unhealthy and unsafe; decaying built environments and frequent hazards related to buildings.
· It also identified the lack of a comprehensive integrated management framework that sets quantifiable and measurable standards; uncoordinated building maintenance decisions within institutions; lack of building maintenance policy and culture, existence of multiple out dated and conflicting legislations and regulations; relevant legislation being domiciled in different institutions that are given responsibility to ensure compliance; some institutions being unaware of their responsibility and lacking in capacity to enforce compliance; and inadequate maintenance resources such as national building stock, human, financial and tools to carry out, monitor and evaluate maintenance works.
· Accordingly, the policy calls for: establishment of a comprehensive maintenance manual framework for existing and new buildings; development and review of maintenance building manuals for all buildings; development of a dissemination programme to sensitize stakeholders on national and international maintenance standards and guidelines; clarification of division of labour and decentralize maintenance information at the National and County Governments; formulation of maintenance plans, review, harmonization and enactment of maintenance legislation as well as set standards and guidelines for execution of maintenance work; harmonization and centralization of data on building maintenance works.
· In the legal, policy and institutional framework, the Policy provides for the following policy statements: a) Formulate a National Building Maintenance Policy by codifying the many existing policies. b) Review, harmonize, coordinate and consolidate existing fragmented institutional policies. c) Review, harmonize and repeal/ enact legislation on building maintenance to ensure conformity with constitution. d) Establish a body corporate with powers to formulate standards, implement and regularly review policies, legislations and regulations. e) Review and harmonize existing regulations to ensure conformity with emerging technologies and global trends.
· In particular, the laws should provide a time scale for inspection of sanitation, building fabric, services and repair works and define maintenance roles of both parties with clear Dispute Resolution mechanisms.