Ethical Issues in the Construction Industry in Kenya: A Critical Analysis of the Professional Conduct in Engineering Technology Management

Abstract

This research paper addresses the ethical issues facing the construction industry in Kenya. It forms a framework for ethical standards in the construction industry by recommending concrete measures on the cases of collapsing buildings such as Nyamakima building in Nairobi in 2006, sunbeam building and another building at Nyamakima unfinished and poorly constructed roads in 2012 as well as corruption. These have been based on the identification of ethical issues from the results of comprehensive and in depth research carried out through questionnaire survey, interviews and telephonic survey of various stakeholders in sample projects, employees of each of them and also study of related engineering journals. Many Institutes, Societies and Boards of Engineers globally provide guidelines for engineers. In Kenya, the Engineers Registration Board (ERB) has likewise issued strict and professional stipulations for engineers, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders in this field, but in practice these are rarely followed to the letter. The existing standards in this paper have been compared with our socio cultural traditions and with ethical standards and practices of developed countries. Finally, a mechanism has been recommended which can deal with most of the ethical issues confronting construction industry in Kenya.