Kenya fast-tracks law to consolidate building permits

Kenya plans to fast-track enactment of a law that will consolidate all building levies and permits, a government official said on Monday.

Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Permanent Secretary Professor Paul Mwangi told Xinhua in Nairobi that stakeholders have already developed a draft building development bill that is currently awaiting cabinet approval.

"If all goes according to plan, it should become law by the end of 2016," Mwangi said.

The bill proposes to collapse all permits required to put up a building from such agencies as the National Environmental Management Authority, county governments, ministry of water and ministry of energy.

Mwangi said that once operational, the law will provide the legal framework to set up a one-stop shop for all development levies.

"Currently, investors are required to visit many offices in order to acquire different licenses and this affects the ease of doing business in Kenya," he said.

The PS added that all building permits will be consolidated into a single online form. "This is part of the ongoing digitization of all government services in order to improve public service delivery," he said.

The East African nation is also automating its 56 land registries. Mwangi said that under a pilot phase ten land registries have already being digitized while another then will be automated next year.

He observed that automation reduces human interaction and therefore reduces the possibility of corruption. "It also allows real time access to information to all key decision makers," he said. Endit