Hiring flaws fuel planning chaos, lobby now says

“Professional bodies have raised concerns over compliance with mandatory qualifications in county planning appointments,” it said a status report on the built environment.

“The AAK Town Planners Chapter has documented instances of County Public Service Boards failing to adhere to professional standards when hiring for critical positions, including directors and deputy directors of physical planning.”

The association says to qualify as a planner, one needs to have an undergraduate training in town or urban planning and a two-year working experience. The individual should be a graduate member of the AAK Town Planners Chapter too.

“The Physical Planners Registration Act makes registration a prerequisite to practice, while Section 8(2) of Physical and Land Use Planning Act stipulates that planning work must be undertaken or supervised by registered physical planners,” AAK said.

“Scheme of Service for Physical Planners, 2018, requires Public Procurement Administrative Review Board registration as a mandatory qualification for assistant director positions and above.”

Appointing unregistered or under-qualified people can lead to poor planning outcomes, conflict with national policies and flawed development decisions.

“Despite a Cabinet Secretary advisory in March 2025 emphasising these legal requirements, inclusion of unqualified and unregistered individuals in these roles continues to compromise the integrity of planning, exposing counties to legal risks,” the association added.

AAK said this has led to counties lacking properly established technical teams to review development applications, creating gaps in oversight and weakening control.