The county government of Kajiado has partnered with the international Finance Corporation to develop an online building approvals system for residential and commercial real estate developments in the county.
Once complete, Kajiado will join Nairobi, Mombasa and Kiambu as one of the counties that have automated the process.
Kajiado Country Governor Joseph Ole Lenku said the platform would significantly improve efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery as well as improving accessibility, transparency and accountability in operations.
The project is receiving funding from the IFC’s Kenya Competitiveness Enhancement Programme. IFC has signed an agreement with the Kajiado County government for the design and implementation of business regulation reforms which hope to make Kajiado more attractive to investor.
A recent survey by the Architectural Association of Kenya found that it takes between 14-30 days on average to process building approvals in most counties while others have a significantly higher period. Automating the system could help counties speed up developments, generate more revenue and boost the real estate sector’s contribution to the economy.
According to a KNBS Economic Survey, the real estate sector is the second largest contributor to the growth of the economy, at 10.6%.
Read; AAK survey shows counties lack standardized development control procedures and fees
