Leading Architect: Nairobi Is Big In Trouble!

In this episode of Dialogues with Jagero, I sit down with Hon. Dr Daniel Manduku, architect, Member of Parliament for Nyaribari Masaba and founding CEO of the National Construction Authority, to unpack the questions many Kenyans are asking. We explore what happens from the moment a developer has an idea to the day a building is occupied. Who checks the drawings? What happens when extra floors are added? And who takes responsibility when things go wrong? Our conversation also takes us beyond individual buildings to Nairobi’s water supply, sewerage, ventilation and urban planning. Daniel shares his perspective on corruption, public oversight and what he believes needs to change. 00:00 DWJ intro 00:08 Meet Hon. Dr Daniel Manduku 01:22 Why buildings collapse 03:21 The chain of construction failures 04:27 Approvals, building limits and extra floors 06:08 When developers ignore the drawings 08:02 Who regulates developers? 10:18 Steel, concrete and cutting corners 14:01 Kenya’s building code: old and new 16:19 Corruption and construction oversight 17:40 Inside the developer’s decision-making 20:14 Where a building project begins 24:06 Engineers, architects and the design team 25:26 Costs, budgets and the quantity surveyor 28:26 The approval process and professional oversight 31:41 Adding floors and redesigning the structure 34:03 Checking what is built on site 36:44 Occupation certificates and accountability 39:37 Professional fees and signing off projects 48:33 Housing density, light and ventilation 50:09 Boreholes and the water table 52:38 Sewerage and pressure on infrastructure 54:41 Should Nairobi be divided into boroughs? 1:00:33 Can Nairobi’s rivers be restored? 1:04:49 Environmental assessments for construction 1:07:43 Who is held responsible after a collapse? 1:09:33 Assessing high-risk buildings 1:13:43 Structural integrity, ventilation and safety 1:15:40 Fire safety and emergency exits 1:19:43 Daniel Manduku on politics and public service 1:21:53 His career before Parliament 1:25:43 The journey to becoming an MP Buy the Goldmine: Hustles For Africans here: https://dialogueswithjagero.com/goldmine Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3mEX7L5GcOnX7LVYYlHlaw/join For new episodes, subscribers only content, and job opportunities, subscrive here: https://dwj.beehiiv.com Wanna support the channel: Mpesa Till Number: 5253673 Or Buy Me Coffee here: buymeacoffee.com/jagero