Counties

City developers to present their plans on online platform

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NMS deputy DG Kang’ethe Thuku. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Developers in Nairobi will from next month be saved from having to physically present their development application plans for approval, after completion of upgrade of Nairobi’s e-construction permit system.

Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) said the online system, which includes the Quick Response (QR) code system, will now be fully operational as from August.

The system has been undergoing review, upgrade and improvement after it was hacked into in June this year leading to illegal approval of at least 18 building approvals.

NMS deputy director general Kang’ethe Thuku said they have been upgrading the entire system and that process will be completed next month.

The completion of the upgrade, he said, will see significant reduction in physical submission of paper documents for approval.

He noted that the upgrade has majorly been on the QR code system which was hacked into last month.

The system provides a unique identification of all approved architectural and structural plans, eliminating the need for property developers to submit hard copies of development plans for stamping upon approval.

“The review, upgrade and further improvement of the e-construction permit system complete with QR Codes to minimise physical submission of paper documents has been ongoing and is expected to be fully operational by August, 2021,” said Mr Thuku.

He was speaking at a meeting with the Architectural Association of Kenya during the launch of the status of the built environment report yesterday.

The illegal entry into the system was blamed on lack of upgrade of the e-construction system for the last four years, hence creating loopholes.

This is due to City Hall’s failure to upgrade and maintain the system in the last three years after it was handed over to the county government by the World Bank three years ago.

As a result of the hacking, NMS decided to suspend the use of the QR code system as it sorted out the problem.

To seal all loopholes that might have been used by the hackers, NMS brought in security agencies and ICT experts from the Ministry of ICT and handed over the e-construction system for upgrade. However, the e-construction system was later restored but not the QR code system.

The QR code system was launched by City Hall on March 29, 2020 to reduce the period taken to approve development plans by eliminating physical stamping.