The National Construction Authority (NCA) on Wednesday cautioned Kenyans against extending building floors without following the required regulatory procedures.
Speaking during a morning show on NTV, NCA Executive Director Maurice Akech emphasised that it is illegal to add floors to an occupied building without first evicting the tenants. ''It is illegal to extend a building while people are occupying it.
It is also illegal to extend a building beyond the approved floor numbers,'' Akech warned. According to Akech, developers looking to extend buildings must adhere to two specific regulations, depending on whether they plan to build upwards or expand sideways.
A photo of a storey building under construction in the Pangani area, Nairobi County Photo Nairobi County However, he clarified that tenant relocation is not required if the extension is being carried out on the sides of the building. ''If you want to work on a building that is already occupied, then you have to move people out, and continue the construction until it is finished,'' Akech stated. ''There are two types of extensions, extension on top which you cannot do while people are inside and there is an extension on the side which you properly have to secure and ensure this is properly done while people are occupying the other one with all the safety routes properly identified.'' At the same time, Akech revealed that it is illegal to resume construction on a building whose work had been paused for some time without first obtaining a new permit.
