THE EAST AFRICAN CONSTRUCTIONS DIGEST MAGAZINE JAN-FEB 2023

Writers

Fred Ndung’u

Clive Olero

Celestine Bayisenge

Editorial Consultants

Beatitudes Africa Communications LTD info@bacommunications.co.ke

Design and Layout

Dennis Kituva 0721837675

Photography

Boaz Otieno

Advertising Executives

Anita Simiyu

Cynthia Jade Kennedy Osii

Regional Contacts

Tanzania

Ng’winula Kingamkono +255 222 128 884 4 Mezzanine Floor, Samora Tower, Manfield Street, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Uganda and South Sudan

Akama Joseph +256 757 658 887 Kampala, Uganda

Rwanda

Collins Odhiambo +250 786153554

Julius Uwimana +250 378 669 801

The magazine is published by:

The East African Constructions Digest Ltd KCS House, Mama Ngina Street P.O Box 42372, 00200, Nairobi +254 712 235 429/ +254 714 493 752

Send your letters or feedback to: info@eaconstructionsdigest.com editor@eaconstructionsdigest.com

The East African Constructions Digest is published six times a year and is circulated to the building and construction stakeholders across East Africa. The publication is circulated to members of relevant associations, government bodies, agencies and other personnel in the building and construction industry- from suppliers of products and materials, to producers, contractors, consultants, project managers, property and real estate developers and developers of mega infrastructure projects. The editor welcomes articles and photographs for consideration. Materials may not be reproduced without prior permission from the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or authenticity of advertisements or contributions contained in the journal. Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

THE QUEST FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Regional experts should intensify use of Artificial Intelligence in construction

Some building and construction experts have hinted that Artificial Intelligence will transform our industry in the next 10 years more than any other technology in the past 100 years.

According to James Barret, Chief Innovation Officer for Turner Construction, America’s largest contractor, it’s going to be huge because it has such broad applications in so many cases. “It’s a question of when,” he says.

With its ability to learn, solve problems and recognize patterns at a velocity and scale no human will ever match, artificial intelligence is poised to reshape how buildings are designed, built and operated — and 2023 will be the year it takes hold, the experts explain.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an aggregative term for describing when a machine mimics human cognitive functions, like problem-solving, pattern recognition, and learning. Machine Learning is a subset of AI.

Machine learning is a field of artificial intelligence that uses statistical techniques to give computer systems the ability to “learn” from data, without being explicitly programmed. A machine becomes better at understanding and providing insights as it is exposed to more data.

In the construction industry, companies use AI to analyze project data- such as construction site monitoring and predictive analytics- in real time in order to make informed decisions that have implications on the project’s quality, safety, profitability, and schedule.

AI makes construction sites safer and more profitable. First, AI act as smart assistants. Construction industry is notorious for being high-risk and lowmargin, with a need for investment in technology that will help improve productivity. AI brings to construction

the ability to shift through thousands of data points, automatically and instantly categorize and classify them, and highlight vital information o spend and risk to management.

Secondly AI technology is safer and more compliant. From administration and project management automation to brick laying robots, technology in construction industry is opening a world of opportunities. For instance, robots such as Hadrian X, a giant bricklaying technology developed by Fastbrick Robotics can build homes in two days.

Combining the power of intelligent machines with human ingenuity, AI is the digital brain that makes industrychanging technologies such as robotics, blockchain and 3D printing possible. With its superpowers in modeling and pattern detection as well as prediction and optimization, AI can reduce expensive errors and worksite injuries; train and eventually replace increasingly scarce workers; enhance sustainability and circularity; design, maintain and operate buildings; and clean up and give transparency to the supply chain.

As the construction industry modernizes and demand for efficient service delivery becomes more eminent, allied stakeholders have to adopt AI among other innovations to drive the industry forward.

Ben Oduor, Editor

In the construction industry, companies use AI to analyze project data- such as construction site monitoring and predictive analyticsin real time in order to make informed decisions that have implications on the project’s quality, safety, profitability, and schedule.

Namirembe Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Uganda

Saint Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe, commonly referred to as Namirembe Cathedral, is the oldest cathedral in Uganda. Located on Namirembe Hill, in Lubanga Division in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, Namirembe Cathedral serves as the provincial cathedral of the Anglican Church of Uganda and the diocesan cathedral for Namirembe Diocese, the first diocese to be founded in the Church of Uganda province, in 1890.

Between 1919 and 1967, the Cathedral served as the provincial cathedral of the Church of Uganda, Anglican Communion. In the 1960s, the headquarters of the Church of Uganda moved to All Saints Church in Nakasero then moved back to Namirembe later.

Namirembe Hill has been the location of the main Anglican place of worship in Buganda since Bishop Alfred Tucker established the offices of the Diocese of Eastern Equatorial Africa in 1890. Tragedy befell the first four church structures:

• The first church building, constructed in 1890, with a capacity of 800 people, was abandoned in 1891 because it was located in a swampy area at the base of Namirembe Hill. Also, a bigger building was needed to accommodate the ever-growing congregation.

• The second church building was constructed between July 1891 and July 1892, with a seating capacity of more than 3,000. In October 1894, strong winds during a thunderstorm blew the roof off the church and it was ruined.

• The third church building was built between 1894 and 1895. It had a seating capacity of about 4,000 worshippers. That building, constructed with traditional African materials, was abandoned in the early 1900s due to fear that termites would destroy it.

• The fourth church building was constructed with earthen brick walls and a thatched roof, between 1900 and 1904. At the opening ceremony, on 21 June 1904, an estimated 10,000 people were in attendance. On the afternoon of 23 September 1910, the roof was gutted by a fire which started when lightning struck the building. Within less than thirty minutes, the entire roof was destroyed and the church was ruined.

• The current St Paul’s Cathedral was constructed between 1915 and 1919 using earthen bricks and earthen roof tiles. The cathedral is still standing, but needs repairs from time to time. The building is one of the National Cultural Sites of Uganda.

Top Management Commitment: Recommended Practices Towards Securing Safe Worksites

Top management is often concerned about the company’s image, reputation and credibility. But then, many managers have never appreciated that they need to provide leadership and vision in implementing and streamlining safety management systems within their organizations. The construction industry is vulnerable to this since most builders do not make health and safety their core value. This edition highlights three recommended practices that top management should employ to visibly demonstrate and communicate their commitment to safe and healthy workplaces.

By Perkins M. Omondi

Every employee in the construction industry has a right to a safe workplace and safe conditions of work just like in any other workplaces. Employers, in the industry, on the other hand have the legal obligation to make sure that they provide safe places to work and have no reason to complain or avoid this duty of care towards the employees. To safeguard the safety of the workplace and maintain it so, the employer needs to implement Environmental, Health and Safety Management Systems (EHSMS). By so doing, the employer will be able to maintain safe worksites that are also void of violations and accidents. To realize this, top management and leadership of the organization – who actually make up the segment of business owners, managers and supervisory teams - have to commit to help create effective safety policies, which can be seamlessly integrated into their construction operations. This calls for three key recommended practices that the involvement of top management and/ or leadership has to make exist across the entire chain of the construction company’s operations.

Top Management Commitment in Informing Compliance

In simple terms, compliance starts from the place where Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Directors appreciate the requirement to put on the appropriate minimum Personal Protective Equipment

Institutionalizing Management’s Commitment with a Publicized Safety Policy

(PPEs), provided there are regulations that specify this. In an attempt not to violate any policy specifications and/ or requirements in the workplace, top management’s commitment is geared towards ensuring that there is no room for compromising procedures and processes that are intended to make operations compliant. Leadership, therefore, informs the way of compliance since their take on safety and practical actions influence the rest of the workforce. Their active involvement in abiding by all the safety standards and guidelines in place implies that they endorse such directives as exemplified through their actions. Top management also influences the relevance of safety standards in the workplace. They determine how the standards will be interpreted, embraced and maintained by the employees. Literally, they help to maintain and to consistently improve safety standards and policies in every stage of the construction operations. They hold the direction to which every employee should follow and this can only be realized when the example comes from the leadership. The example that CEOs and Directors exhibit stresses the relevance of safety management systems and enhances coordination across different divisions of operations as this makes the workforce feel that policies and legal frameworks are not designed for them alone. Therefore, they own the safety standards and appreciate the leadership’s take to prioritize them.

The health and safety policy cannot work if the top level of company management is not committed to execute effective health and safety management systems in the worksite. It is the responsibility of top management to make sure that there are sufficient resources and policies to maintain a safe workplace. To realize this, top management have to ensure that there is implementation of relevant and effective management strategies. One of such management strategies is an occupational health and safety policy. As the topmost management level, it should be intentional to facilitate designing, developing and formulation of safety policy to guide all construction operations. The top management needs to seal the ownership of the policy by putting in place, systems and programs, that will institutionalize it.

To institutionalize safety policy, top management should play the role of ensuring the following, at their capacity:

i. Determine specific roles, accountabilities and responsibilities for any safety programs among workers. This should consider different operational areas and all levels of employment as laid out in the company Organogram. Important to this is responsibilities of the management as these inform how effective the rest of the workforce will be in performing their safety responsibilities.

ii. Make sure that all the required resources, including necessary personnel like safety representatives, officer, managers, are availed to execute and maintain safety programs. This should take care of any timelines relevant to ensure effectiveness of the programs, as well as corresponding construction works in question.

iii. Be aware of the status of safety management systems and site safety management strategies. Maintaining, improving, updating and reviewing policies and strategies should always be prioritized while also taking an interest in any potential external influences to these.

iv. Top management needs to coordinate work plans and action plans, making

follow ups and monitoring their status relative to the safety outputs they were designed to deliver. While doing this, the management should concurrently determine performance levels and make any changes that might be deemed necessary for continuous improvement.

v. Embrace worker consultation and collaboration, especially when there are proposed changes and adjustments in the safety policies, management strategies, work procedures, practices and processes that have related impacts on their health and safety.

vi. Consult with safety professionals and seek advice from legal experts. These should go a long way in ensuring that health and safety policies are correctly and effectively interpreted and implemented as part of the organizational standards. With these fully considered and consistently put in place, through direct involvement of topmost management, the safety policies and standards will be institutionalized as part of the company’s main aims of achieving the best health and safety practices. This follows the fact that top management constitutes the key driver of workplace health and safety in whichever work setting. When their commitment is presently felt, much will be realized across all areas of operations as far as safety standards are concerned.

Streamline Accountability for Health and Safety

To build, maintain and improve workplace health and safety conditions in construction sites, top level leadership has to execute basic regulatory requirements that are backed up with safety policies relevant to their construction operations. But these policies are never sufficient without consideration of management’s attitude and behavior, both of which are key drivers to a working policy. Such efforts, if positively initiated by management, do cultivate the needed level of accountability. This is because they already hold themselves accountable by putting systems in place that warrant their commitment to assuring safety in the workplace. This comes with the understanding that as a top manager of the company, you have a role that you cannot

run away from and you are answerable in case the worst emerges that called for your input.

Accountability from the top management also promotes and builds a health and safety conscious culture. Through accountability, the behavior of leadership, including supervisors’ keeps on track the importance of safety aspects in the workplace. Emphasis on safety is put into all operations with safety issues taken into account. The management needs to challenge themselves by developing performance appraisals that account for safety issues, compliance and safe work practices. These should be targeted at the leadership first, including CEOs and Directors, then to the rest of the employees. In line with this, accounting for good health and safety performance should entail clear definition of tasks along with established reward systems and performance measurement. In summary, top management should be directly involved in all initiatives and matters that relate to workplace health and safety. This implies that their understanding that safety forms an integral part of their normal business operations has an influence on overall safety performance. Evidencing their commitment should consider establishing health and safety management systems that are effective for all levels of operations. They determine what health and safety culture would be, as well as what every employee would perceive of safety. Therefore, as top management, it is important to be pro-active and this needs to be a visible commitment to prioritize safety as this emphasizes the importance of safety in the company. This provokes positive health and safety culture and standards among employees.

Perkins Martin Omondi is an Occupational Health and Safety Practitioner specialized in Environmental, Safety, Health and Social (ESHS) safeguards, ESG Analyst and an EIA/EA Expert. He is also ACBA’s Country Representative in Kenya, a Training Consultant with ZOE Talent Solutions and a Co-Founder of Eden Frontiers Consult Ltd. He can be reached through: +254700901457; E-mail: perkins@edenfrontiers. co.ke; perkinsoduong@gmail.com; or on https:// edenfrontiers.co.ke/

An onsite physical therapist can help minimize jobsite accidents, injuries

The ability to react to accidents is essential, but it is only one part of the safety puzzle

By Kyle Schmoyer, Kris Corbett

While some might argue that it is impossible to eliminate workplace accidents, getting as close to zero as possible is a goal of some of the leading organizations in the world. That is because they all understand the same thing, that safety is excellent for business, and a commitment to reducing accidents also lowers operating costs, decreases turnover and boosts productivity.

Workplace safety has made massive strides over the last several decades. However, there is still a lot of work to be done because an unacceptable number of people are injured or killed in preventable workplace accidents each year.

How many people are getting hurt at work?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers in the United States reported 2.7 million workplace injuries and illnesses and 4,764 fatalities in 2020. It might be challenging to wrap your head around those numbers, but when you average it out, that means that 7,397 people are hurt and 13 people lose their lives each day at work.

One of the nation’s most hazardous industries is construction. Employers in construction reported 174,100 injuries and illnesses in 2020 and 43% of those injured required days away from work.

Many construction sites have a fulltime emergency medical technician

available to respond to workplace injuries and illnesses. The main issue with this approach is that someone must be injured to gain value from an onsite EMT. Some EMTs do incorporate additional injury prevention services; however, advanced education and training is often needed to diagnose and treat common injuries like work-related musculoskeletal disorders which account for 33% of all job-related injury and illness cases.

Although a full-time onsite EMT was a constructive step forward when it first gained popularity in the industry, this approach has since become outdated. The ability to react quickly and efficiently to accidents is essential, but it is only one part of the safety puzzle. Safety leaders

today understand that to make real change, organizations must shift their focus toward a more proactive approach. The goal is no longer to just respond to accidents but to prevent them.

What is a better solution?

An embedded onsite injury prevention provider, like a physical therapist or athletic trainer, is a modern twist on a trusted solution. The additional benefits they could bring include ergonomics and coaching for proper body mechanics along with proactive education around health, wellness and injury prevention.

Like athletes, construction workers rely on their bodies to make a living, and workers and their employers benefit when they perform at their best.

Just as a sports team takes steps to protect their investment in their MVPs, so can companies. Specialists can help keep your players at the top of their game, and get to the root cause of why they are in pain when it arises. Imagine conditioning a worker like a professional athlete with stretching and strengthening for the task at

hand while providing coaching on proper body technique and injury prevention strategies to ensure your workers are happy, productive and injury-free.

Another benefit of the type of care is pain reduction. Unfortunately, the United States is amid an opioid crisis, and the overprescription of pain medications has left many hopelessly addicted. Due to the nature of the work, many construction workers live with constant pain from new or past injuries and can easily fall into the pain medication trap.

Many chronic pain issues can be alleviated through an onsite provider helping workers avoid the slippery slope of prescription pain medication.

The root cause

The culture of construction often means workers are less likely to seek medical help until it is too late. Onsite early intervention specialists can spot pain and other issues before they deteriorate into much more significant problems, keeping employees operating at their best. Also, these early intervention services mean as soon as

discomfort occurs, an expert can quickly assess the issue and provide appropriate, non-OSHA recordable treatment to address the symptoms.

Not only will an onsite provider address the symptoms but also get to the root cause of why the discomfort occurred in the first place and offer coaching for improvement. These specialists will get involved in the incident investigation process to identify the reason for the injury or discomfort. Once identified, they can create a plan with actionable solutions, like customized stretching routines or body mechanics training.

With this new knowledge, the worker finally understands why they were hurt and how they can modify their actions or work process to prevent reoccurrence.

The following is an opinion piece from Kris Corbett, director at Atlas Injury Prevention Solutions, and Kyle Schmoyer, an environmental health and safety reporter. Opinions are the authors’ own.

Why you need Robisearch’s Property Management System

Imagine this!

You live in Europe. Back in Nairobi, you have a number of rental properties spread across the city and managed by a team of caretakers. Every week you rely on phone call reports or text messages from your employees regarding the status of your estates.

The caretakers report all sorts of issues, from unpaid electricity bills, water disconnections to complaints from tenants over uncollected garbage. There are so many repetitive manual processes your employees have to deal with. They follow up on tenants and physically work on the billing and payments. The administrative burden from your investments back home won’t just give you peace of mind, as you have to keep supervising your team every single day to ensure everything runs smoothly, which is mostly never the case.

Failure to track dates on rent reviews, lease expiries, health and safety compliance or property inspections creates huge leaks in your investments.

To make the matters worse, you have to pay all the caretakers salaries every month. All these compounded, you start feeling stressed up managing the properties. Profits starts dimming. Soon, you start figuring out how to sell some of them, believing you probably made wrong investment decisions. Eventually, you swear never to put your money in property and real estate.

However, by simply automating workflows and processes, one is alleviated from suffering and losses that could emanate from conventional ways of managing property.

A property management system (PMS) is the antidote. And Robisearch Limited, the physician. A Property Management System is a software application for the operations of hospitality accommodations and commercial residential rental properties. It is sometimes referred to as hotel operating system or hotel OS.

PMS provides a centralized computer system to organize, schedule and perform the day-to-day functions and transactions involved in accommodations businesses. Computer record keeping and PMS have increased the efficiency of hospitality industries significantly simply by making it possible to update and consult centralized records from multiple computers and devices.

PMS solutions have been customized for the needs of the hospitality industry to further increase ease of operations.

Robisearch Limited, a leading software company headquartered in Nairobi with services targeting East Africa and beyond, offers a web based Property Rental Software System with advanced features and an easy to use User Interface that facilitates the operations and control of commercial or rental properties.

The system has many features, which include: Receipting of tenant payments; invoice generation; financial accounting; maintenance of key property details; maintenance of a clear digital paper trail for compliance purposes; keeping records of the property occupants; managing the bookings and renting of rooms and; managing tenancy agreement and leases among other solutions.

Rental Software features include: Accounting, where one gets exclusive accounting reports; complete control tenant activities; all apartments are managed in one space; it relays daily or

monthly reports including expenses and; all operations such as bookings, cleaning, among others, are automated.

The system is relatively affordable, and distributed across Kenya, in East Africa and beyond. Customers enjoy various services from the company, which includes demonstrations, installation, data entry and trainings to users.

There are different modules under the Rental Management System. House/ Room Management for instance, ensures the owner is able to access information about the room, such as when the room needs repairs or maintenance.

Tenant Management on the other hand, allows the landlord to have all the details ad information regarding the tenants. This includes their biodata and agent agreements. Payment Management enables one to do invoices and receipts and also enables one to know who has paid and who hasn’t. You can also access information on who pays earlier and those that pay late and the arrears.

For expenses, the module enables one to input all the expenses incurred in running the business. This will help in keeping a record of all the expenses and also calculations in the profit and loss report. There are so many offers property owners and managers can benefit from.

As for Robisearch Limited, ‘Transforming the world through innovation’ is the ultimate mission.

Savannah Cement Limited is one of the largest cement companies in Kenya with a production capacity of 2.4million tons per year following the installation of state of the Art Vertical Roller Mill.

The Plant is strategically located near Nairobi which accounts for 50% of cement consumption in the country and makes use of the best green technology, revolutionalising environmental management in the cement industry. The company operates its Plant in line with the requirements of the Kenyan National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA).

Savannah Cement, provides the WIDEST and most INNOVATIVE range of Cement and Concrete Solutions.

Purple Dot International awarded at the Acclaimed Africa and Arabia Property Awards

The property developer earned 2 Five stars and awards, which included Best Commercial High-rise Development and Best Commercial Architecture for Purple Tower, at the ceremony.

By Ben Oduor

Purple Dot International Ltd was honored at the Africa & Arabia Property Awards on 6 October 2022 for their upcoming Grade A Commercial Development Purple Tower. The developer competed against the best property professionals across the Africa and Arabia regions to be nominated for

Best Commercial High-Rise Development and Best Commercial High-Rise Architecture in Africa, while topping for both categories as Winner in Kenya. All eyes were on Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as the results of the Africa & Arabia Property Awards 2022-23 were announced at the Habtoor Grand Resort, Jumeirah Beach on Thursday

property categories. Regional heats are staged for Arabia, Europe, Africa, Canada, Central & South America, the Caribbean, USA, UK and Asia Pacific.

The judging panel is chaired by Lord Caithness, Lord Best, and Lord Waverley, members of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament.

Purple Tower, whose off-plan sale was unveiled by the developer earlier in May, won 5 Stars sits along Mombasa Road, hovering just above the completed Nairobi Expressway which opened this month for public use. The MUD (Mixed Use Development) is centrally located and strategically nestled near key urban addresses including the city’s CBD (Central Business District), Upperhill, Westlands, Industrial Area, Wilson Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and SGR Terminal.

The 14-floor edifice, which is conveniently positioned near the Expressway’s entry/exit lanes, parades the following spaces: showroom/retail (ground floor); food and beverage/ restaurant (second floor); Grade A offices (third to fourteenth) and conferencing facility (fourteenth). The multiple entry, exit points from the tower significantly cuts down travel time to Mlolongo, Athi River as well as Westlands and Limuru Road.

Purple Tower is expected to cost Sh2.5 billion and commits to making material savings on utility costs for investors and tenants of just over 35%. The building’s design achieved EDGE sustainability requirements, a benchmark initiated by the IFC (International Finance Corporation), the private sector lending wing of the World Bank, to encourage the design and construction of sustainable, resource-efficient buildings in emerging markets.

October 6th in Dubai.

The Africa & Arabia Property Awards are judged by an independent panel of more than 90 industry experts. Judging focuses on design, quality, service, innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability. The Awards, which are in their 29th year cover more than 45 different residential and commercial

For a building to receive EDGE certification, its design must incorporate measures that enable it to achieve threshold energy savings, water savings and savings in energy of embodied materials.

The International Property Awards identify the highest levels of achievement in real estate, development, architecture, interior design and marketing in both the residential and commercial sectors, focusing on services, sustainability, high

Purple Dot team receiving the awards from the judging panel at Africa & Arabia International Property Awards

Purple Tower, Purple Dot International’s Grade A, Edge Certified Commercial mixed-use project

living standards, ergonomics, originality and creativity.

Jiten Kerai, General Manager of Purple Dot International was all smiles at the Awards Ceremony, stating: “We are very proud of what we have achieved in both categories. To be recognized with Five-Stars and as Award Winners at The International Property Awards – Africa & Arabia is truly a great honor, and we are very thankful to all the teams that have helped us achieve this important milestone. Purple Tower truly embodies our core business model and its great to

see it get this level of recognition on a global platform. Thank you to everyone at the IPA.”

Purple Tower’s design takes into consideration energy and water consumption saving measures including increased natural ventilation with operable windows, reduced window to wall ratio, external shading devices, energy saving lighting to be used in all internal areas and to be in tenant leases, occupancy sensors in bathrooms, conference rooms, closed cabins/open offices, solar photovoltaics for 20 percent

of total energy use. Water saving measures include flow faucets in all bathrooms and kitchen sinks and dual flush for WC in all bathrooms and water efficient urinal. Overall, Purple Tower’s energy savings are estimated to be 27%, water savings at 41% and 33% less embodied energy in building materials used.

Facts and Information

• The Africa & Arabia Property Awards are judged by an independent panel of over 90 industry experts. Judging focuses on design, quality, service,

innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability.

• The judging panel is chaired by Lord Caithness, Lord Best, and Lord Waverley, members of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament.

• The Africa & Arabia Property Awards are the largest, most prestigious, and widely recognised programme throughout the regions.

• The official Awards website is www.propertyawards.net

• The Africa & Arabia Award Winners were announced on 7 October. Winners are listed on the Awards website, with some choosing to be involved in online Red-Carpet virtual presentations.

• The Awards are in their 29th year and cover over 45 different residential and commercial categories. Regional heats are staged for Arabia, Europe, Africa, Canada, Central & South America, the Caribbean, USA, UK and Asia Pacific.

• The top winners in each region will automatically be entered into the overall international awards, culminating in a glittering awards ceremony at the end of the year.

About Purple Tower

A Mixed-Use Development located along Mombasa Road in close proximity to the CBD (Central Business District), Upperhill, Westlands, Industrial Area, Wilson Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The EDGE Certified building features premium offices built to international Grade A specification, showroom/retail space, food and beverage space and conferencing facilities.

Purple Tower showcases a cube designed in spirit of Vastu principles, with an open atrium ‘Brahma’ in the center that runs the full height of the building for increased cross ventilation and ample sunlight.

Amenities include high speed passenger elevators – 4 serving offices, 2 serving the basement and parking silos as well as 1 dedicated goods/service lift, 24-hour manned security, CCTV surveillance, secure entry/exit points, dedicated ODF (optical distribution frame) room for easy multiple fiber internet connectivity to offices, conferencing facility for 12 to 240 pax and a grab-and-go café at reception.

Purple Tower’s energy savings are estimated to be 27%, water savings at 41% and 33% less embodied energy in building materials used.

Kenya’s Jumba bags $1M to help operators of hardware stores restock seamlessly

By Annie Njanja

The construction industry in Kenya is so big that it is among the few globally that expanded amidst the COVID lockdowns of 2020. And it is not showing any signs of slowdown with the country’s data agency — the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics — projecting it to grow at an average rate of 6.1% over the next three years.

And while most of this growth is attributable to planned mega projects by the government, the growth of real estate, buoyed by an ever-increasing demand for housing, is another precursor for transformation. Yet Kenya’s construction

sector remains vastly rudimentary, with nearly all supplies, even by resellers, being purchased physically.

Jumba, a B2B construction technology platform launched in April this year, is out to bridge this gap through an online platform that allows operators of hardware stores (construction materials retailers), which are found on almost every block, to seamlessly restock.

The startup is now set for great growth after securing $1 million pre-seed funding to fine-tune its technology and expand its reach to capture markets in major cities across Kenya.

“We have started to expand our

products according to regional demands and the needs of hardware stores. The idea is to make Jumba the source of all construction materials in Kenya and, when we eventually grow, beyond its borders,” Jumba CEO Kagure Wamunyu, who co-founded the startup with Miano Njoka (CTO) told TechCrunch.

The pre-seed round was led by Enza Capital with participation from Seedstars International Ventures, Chandaria Capital, Future Africa, Logos Ventures, First Check Africa and a number of angel investors.

Enza Capital’s managing partner Mike Mompi said, “Africa’s populations

are rapidly growing and increasingly urbanizing, and the construction industry is a core economic engine supporting sustainable growth Across Africa. In a $10 trillion industry yet to be reshaped by technology, we are thrilled to be backing Kagure and the exceptional team building Jumba.”

Wamunyu said the launch of Jumba was inspired by her experiences as a real estate entrepreneur, where she always faced inefficiencies in the purchases of building supplies due to fluctuating prices and random stockouts. Wamunyu, a civil engineer and contractor, who helped Uber roll out its services in Kenya, was also on the team that propelled Kobo360, a logistics tech startup to Africawide expansion. Njoka, her co-founder, is a software engineer who had previously coinvested with her in real estate projects.

As Jumba connects manufacturers with retailers, Wamunyu said the startup will also ensure that the small hardware stores (which don’t have sufficient storage) will be connected to medium-sized ones near their regions from where they can easily

update their inventories, taking away the pressure for spatial expansion.

“We will partner with different retailers in different neighborhoods who then can support the smaller ones, as opposed to working with a warehouse model. We will be supplying these big players and the smaller hardware stores will be picking their stock from these locations,” she said.

Jumba negotiates prices (including their markup) of products with manufacturers. It also allows resellers to pay for orders on delivery. Wamunyu says that they are also considering introducing the buy now, pay later option (BNPL) to allow their best-performing clients to broaden their stock and increase their earnings.

“BNPL can be used to help them stock more, and it is a product that will be introduced but it will be built on the back of the reseller’s order history,” said Wamunyu.

For a rapid take-off, Jumba has hired Peace Osangir to lead the startup’s finance and risk component as its CFO. Osangir previously worked as the COO

of Kopo Kopo, a payments company, and was the initial financial manager of Kenya’s first mobile lender, Mshwari, which is backed by East Africa’s biggest telecom Safaricom and regional bank NCBA.

Wamunyu told TechCrunch that the startup is currently onboarding manufacturers and hardware stores outside Nairobi too to grow its pool of suppliers and resellers.

The article was first published by TechCrunch, an American online newspaper focusing on high tech and startup companies.

Jumba Leadership Team from Left to Right: Peace Osangir (CFO), Kagure Wamunyu (Co-founder & CEO) and Miano Njoka (Co-founder and CTO)

A well-stocked hardware (photo: Courtesy)

Artificial Intelligence and its impact in Construction sector

By Clive Olero

Ancient humans used simple and crude tools and methods in their day-to-day work. With time, humans developed the ability to carve better and more efficient tools to accommodate the growing demand for goods and services.

Technology was invented as part of human natural development and sophistication, which significantly expanded during the industrial revolution. And, with the spread of capitalism, consequently led to the establishment of powerful individuals and conglomerates. Technology has had immense impacts on society both positive and negative, so much so that it is impossible to imagine what life would be like without it.

Today, technology has permeated every aspect of life and enabled humans to function more efficiently and with the utmost precision and accuracy.

Construction industry players are investing in the latest technologies such as 3D printing, building information modeling (BIM), data collection Apps, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence to improve the safety and security of structures, improve collaboration, reduce the cost and time of construction and stay relevant in the contemporary society.

Artificial intelligence is the technology that enables computers or robots to perform tasks commonly considered a preserve of human beings who are the

only intelligent beings. Through artificial intelligence, machines are enabled to perceive and reason with other players in the environment and solve problems independently of human operation through the generation and transmission of data within devices and machines.

The building and construction industry in East Africa has lagged in the uptake of AI technology. However, this trend is slowly changing. According to a Government Readiness Index 2021 by Oxford Insights which examines the readiness of countries across the world for the uptake of AI, Kenya ranks at number 1 in the East African region.

At position two is Rwanda, followed by Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and DRC. Kenya scores fairly well on the three pillars measured in the Index, namely government, the technology sector, and data and infrastructure.

In the East African region, contractors are using AI before, during and after the completion of construction. AI enables the collection of critical information about buildings through sensors, drones and other wireless technologies, and advanced analytics and AI-powered algorithms which provide valuable insights about the operation and performance of structures such as buildings, bridges and roads.

Additionally, AI can be used to monitor risk factors and identify potential problems, determine when and where preventative maintenance needs to be made, or even direct human behavior for

optimal security and safety.

AI is also being used in the form of virtual reality goggles worn by engineers and contractors and mini-robots to inspect buildings under construction and track progress. Moreover, AI is being used to plan the routing of electrical and plumbing systems in modern buildings as well as to develop safety systems for worksites and during occupancy by tracking and frisking people who walk in and out of a building.

AI is used to track the real-time interactions of workers, machinery, and objects on the site and alert supervisors of potential safety issues, construction errors, and productivity issues.

Uses of AI in the building and construction industry

Investing in the latest artificial intelligence assures players of a wide range of benefits. AI is used in planning and designing through generative designs, evaluating and measuring construction progress, fleet management, reducing the cost and time of construction, improving the safety of

contractors and laborers, and preventing labor shortages.

Virtual planning and designing of generative designs

The idea of AI has been incorporated into building information modeling (BIM), a technology that enables building and construction professionals to create and manage all physical aspects of a building digitally. The technology uses machines to design and build a house virtually, enabling contractors to monitor every phase of the process thereby eliminating or correcting errors.

Improved monitoring of construction progress

Through artificial intelligence, construction professionals can use robots and cameras to hoover around the building and capture 3D images and relay this information to the supervisors to track the construction process, identify

and eliminate errors and manage schedules and finances. AI ensures enhanced delivery and minimizes wastage thus saving on cost and time.

Efficient fleet management Parking is an important aspect of buildings that determines the efficiency in movement and safety of occupants. AI helps in estimating free and occupied parking spaces, monitoring the entire parking lot, managing the entry and exit of vehicles into and out of a building, and improving communication and emergency responses, among others. Using AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) in fleet management, therefore, helps in saving time and costs, preventing accidents caused by poorly managed traffic, and improving general efficiency in parking lots, around buildings, and on the streets.

Increased productivity and Efficiency

The building and construction industry faces a shortage of skilled labour given the risks and physical exhaustion associated with the work. Through AI, construction professionals can use selfdriven machines to perform tasks such as pouring concrete, laying bricks, and welding repetitively and efficiently and for a long time, unlike human labour which is prone to fatigue.

Improving the safety of construction workers

Through machine learning, AI allows contractors to identify risks and address them at the appropriate time thus preventing accidents and making construction sites safer.

Automation of tasks and improvement of workflow

Artificial Intelligence helps in automating everyday tasks with accuracy, precision, and efficiency, eliminating the errors associated when tasks are assigned and records maintained manually. AI enhances data collection, and delegation of tasks and encourages individual responsibility delivery thus leading to improved productivity.

Technology has permeated every aspect of life and enabled humans to function more efficiently. AI is the latest disruptor in the industry.

Construction machines using AI technology on site.

which is already riddled with challenges of slow traffic, congestion, unreliability, costs, delays, poor roads, and accidents, investing in the BRT system seems to be the most viable solution to the public transport challenges in the region.

Tanzania’s BRT system Tanzania has taken the lead and paved the way for the rest of the East African member states. Tanzania and Dar es Salaam are the second most populated country and city in East Africa after DR Congo and Kinshasa. Tanzania’s urban population accounts for over 22 million people, which makes Tanzanian transport system one of the most vibrant and yet characterized by congestion and delays, accidents, poor infrastructure and poor standards of vehicles and customer services.

ConstructionsDigest

estimated that the BRT system project will create more than 3000 jobs and generate millions of shillings to the Tanzania economy by 2035.

The Kenyan perspective

Status of Bus Rapid Transport systems in East Africa

The dream to have BRT systems in East Africa has been alive for decades, with various countries mooting the idea, some implementing it and others having it fade off just moments after projects are rolled out

By Clive Olero

While many sources claim that the first Bus Rapid Transit System was the OC Trampo in Canada introduced in 1973, the idea of BRT had existed earlier in England, the USA, Brazil and several Latin American countries. In Africa, Nigeria was the first country to adopt the BRT system into its public transport system in 2008. Other African countries that have developed BRT systems are South Africa, Morocco, Ghana and Tanzania, being the first in East Africa.

BRT is a high-quality bus-based transit system that delivers fast, comfortable, and cost-effective services at metro-

level capacities through the provision of dedicated lanes, with busways and iconic stations aligned to the center of the road, off-board fare collection, and fast and frequent operations. A well-equipped BRT system has features similar to a light rail or metro system, which makes it more reliable, convenient and faster than regular bus services. A BRT system, therefore, significantly improves the efficiency of public transport by avoiding the causes of delays, such as slow traffic and queueing to pay bus fares which characterize normal bus services.

The dream to have BRT systems in East Africa has been alive for decades, with various countries mooting the idea, some

implementing it and others having it fade off just moments after projects are rolled out. Reports indicate that the African continent is the second-most populated in the world, with cities growing faster than in any other continent.

Further, it is estimated that by 2050, 60% of the African population will live in towns. These statistics apply to East Africa and presuppose that East African countries need to improve their infrastructure to improve transport efficiency in their cities to keep pace with the increasing needs of the region’s population.

Since most East African urban population use public means of transport,

To improve public transport, the government of Tanzania completed the first phase of the BRT system in 2015, three years after the construction began. Strabag International built the BRT system at $140 million, jointly funded by the Government of Tanzania, the African Development Bank and the World Bank.

The BRT system is managed by Usafiri Salama Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (UDA-RT) under the supervision of the public transport watchdog, the Surface and Marine Transport regulatory authority (Sumatra), to ensure efficiency, safety, and affordability to travelers.

Most, if not all, of the buses operating the BRT system routes are built by Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of buses, vans and coaches in China.

The project was planned to be implemented in six phases. With the first phase completed thus far, and the second phase ongoing, the Tanzanian BRT system has not only improved the efficiency of transport in the country but also acted as a good example and pioneer in the region. The future of the BRT system development is prospective since the Government of Tanzania has secured $246.7 million in loans from the World Bank for the construction of phases III and IV of the BRT. Phase one of the BRT measures 21.1 kilometers, while phases two, three and four measure 19.3, 23.6, and 16.1 kilometers, respectively. It is

Benefits of BRT systems

Dedicated lanes and alignment

In Kenya, it is a different story. For many years there have been plans by the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (Namata) to construct a BRT system to help mitigate the chaotic public transport sector. A BRT station under construction lies along Thika highway, but the project has stalled despite the Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Housing and Namata, assuring Kenyans that work is ongoing. While appearing before Kenya’s National Assembly’s Transport committee in 2019, the former Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Eng. Macharia said, “The design infrastructure is going on under the Kenya National Highways Authority, which has estimated the cost to be Sh5.8 billion.”

To date, the BRT system remains a pipe dream as work has stalled on the designated BRT stations along Thika Superhighway. This comes amidst complaints from The Motorist Association of Kenya Chairman Peter Murima faulting the planned project and claiming that the BRT system construction would cause more congestion and traffic snarl-ups due to poor design.

Uganda and Rwanda have also mooted the BRT idea and initiated plans to implement the BRT system, with both conducting feasibility studies and preliminary design works. However, significant steps have yet to be commenced, making the BRT dream remain just that - a dream.

Bus-only lanes make for faster travel and ensure that BRT buses are not delayed by mixed traffic congestion and chaotic behaviour.

Off-board fare collection BRT systems allow travelers to pay fares at the station prior to boarding the buses, which eliminates inconveniences, delays, and queues resulting from onboard paying.

Intersection treatment BRT systems prohibit turns for traffic across bus lanes, thus significantly reducing delays.

Platform-level boarding BRT system station platforms are on the same level as the bus floor for quick and easy boarding and alighting. This makes BRT easily accessible for all passengers, including disabled passengers, with minimal inconveniences.

On the other hand, the demerits of BRT systems include the high cost of constructing graded lanes, which requires huge capital. Additionally, although BRT systems aim to construct lanes with no mixed traffic interference, this may be challenging to attain.

Moreover, implementing new bus lanes with street restructuring and widening may displace parking and pedestrian paths and disrupt traffic flow on other roads. Successful implementation of BRT systems requires collaborative goodwill from transport stakeholders, funders, investors, and citizens, which takes a lot of work to attain.

The Quest for Affordable Housing

The building and construction industry in East Africa has grown exponentially over the past decade. With the rapidly increasing population, demand for quality housing has gone up, pushing governments to look for partners to help in building well equipped, safer and affordable housing units. While a number of companies have come up to fill this space, just a handful have embraced the latest technology that ensures houses are built to standards. E&G Affording Housing Limited is among the few companies disrupting the industry with unique concepts, construction products and materials. Other than its innovative and

cost-effective products, the company manufactures eco-friendly products that curbs the ravaging effects of climate change, making them the best fit for the modern house owner. On its mission to make home ownership a reality, E&G Affordable Housing introduced a stunning eco building technology using precast concrete panels and interlocking concrete blocks that are affordable, strong and with lifetime guarantee. The East African Constructions Digest caught up with the company’s management who share insights and reviews on their quality products and services, and how its quest for affordable housing is progressing so far. Excerpt:

Who is E&G Affordable Housing? What triggered your interests in the housing industry and the eco-technology you use?

E&G Affordable housing is a construction firm that offers affordable construction to our clients including predevelopment services like site assessment, Architectural plans, and Bill of Quantities.

Which are the key products and services offered by E&G and what are their unique features?

The key services are ecofriendly construction and also predevelopment services like architectural plans and Bill of Quantities products.

Our uniqueness lies in personalization

and customizing our services according to our customer’s preferences and the affordability of the products and services

How long has E&G been in the market? How has the experience been and also what would you point out as your main strength?

We have been in operation for 5 years. It has been a continuous learning experience. Our main strength lies in rapid and affordable construction using precast concrete panels.

E&G’s mission is to ‘make home ownership a reality’, and affordable. Which are some of the key elements used by the company that eventually dictates its low-cost housing?

We are always looking on new technology to cut on labor costs and material costs.

Access to credit for construction or housing finance has been a major challenge to potential home owners. Briefly take us through your financing plan; its uniqueness and benefits. Also, how has been the market receptiveness towards this finance product?

We have a customized and a personalized program known as Jenga Chapchap lipa polepole where we finance our clients up to 100% and give our clients a repayment period of up to 9 years for residential houses and 15 years for commercial projects.

The market receptiveness has been quite good for us as we learn everyday through customer’s experience.

The use of eco-technology method as an alternative building solution is becoming order of the day in the housing sector with many developers opting for it. How has E&G used this technology and solutions to remain competitive in the industry?

At E&G Affordable housing, we try to capacity build by training our construction staff on how to work with precast panels all over the country so as to remain competitive in the market.

An ongoing construction project using precast concrete panels

What benefits or uniqueness does this technology have over the older method of housing which involves masonry walling or solid slabs among others?

The use of precast panels makes construction affordable. The new technology helps us to build your home fast and efficiently in a record time of 8 weeks. Consequently, this saves money as our technology saves up to 30% off building costs.

What major milestones has the company covered in its main business objective and which are some of the unique qualities that make them the most convenient in the industry?

Our major milestone has been capacity building by training our construction staff on how to work with precast panels all over the country. Our affordable services being available across the country makes us unique.

There has been a trend of collapsing buildings in urban areas in Kenya. What could be the cause and do your model has a solution to this?

For a house to collapse, most contractors must have opted to use the cheap means that are substandard and short lived. At E&G Affordable Housing, we use skilled labor, enough and quality materials for construction and engage qualified professionals.

Which are some of the biggest hurdles faced by E&G? How do you mitigate these challenges?

Our major challenge has been to create awareness to Kenyans on using precast panels, since it’s a new technology. We have an awareness campaign where we are sensitizing our clients and potential clients on use this new technology of building.

Looking into the future, what should the market expect from E&G? What is the company’s short- and long-term goals?

Our short-term goal is to construct a precast estate that will be offered at an affordable housing to our clients. Our long-term goal is to make construction easily available and make affordable housing a reality by making financing easily accessible and in an affordable way.

What are some of the expansion plans the company has moving forward?

We are introducing a cutting-edge technology where we strive to better our technology to fit the African market by trying to lower the construction costs and lessen the time taken to construct.

Parting short.

As the housing deficit grows there is more need to embrace new technologies that saves us time and cost of construction and still are eco-friendly to curb the climate change for this, E&G has what it takes to produce and execute construction faster than anyone in the market.

We have a customized and a personalized program known as Jenga Chapchap lipa polepole where we finance our clients up to 100% and give our clients a repayment period of up to 9 years for residential houses and 15 years for commercial projects.

An ongoing construction of a house using E&G Affordable Housing’s precast concrete panels.

The company’s precast concrete panels.

Why buildings are collapsing in East Africa

While construction stakeholders have different opinions on the causes of collapse of buildings, an industry report states that the leading cause is poor workmanship

By Clive Olero

government, for instance, checks the architectural design from a competent and qualified architect registered with the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (BORAQS), the structural designs from an engineer registered by the Engineers Regulatory Board, valid copies of land ownership documents and certificates of clearance, land search and proof of any other required payments.

The public health office focuses on the health standards, safety and sanitation of occupants, and verifies that the designs provide enough space and allow effective wastage disposal and management. The National Environment Management Authority is concerned about the impacts of buildings on the environment.

Nairobi is Kenya’s capital and most populous city with a population of approximately 3 million people as of 2022 according to Worldometer. It is also the most industrious city in Kenya and East Africa, hosting numerous local, regional and international organizations, companies, and institutions that provide employment opportunities for its population.

With a growing number of colleges and universities churning out many graduates into the job market, a majority end up moving to Nairobi to seek jobs and good life. Expatriates also immigrate in large numbers for work, business and tourism. The resulting ever-increasing population in the city creates a high demand for housing, giving homeowners a reason to increase the supply of housing units and fill the need.

However, meeting the housing demand

does not happen in isolation. Investors in the building and construction industry have a duty to ensure that they get high-quality building and construction materials, hire qualified architects and engineers to erect safe, strong and habitable houses and follow the construction and building regulations. Similarly, the government, through various relevant departments has the mandate to make mandatory verification and approvals before, during and after the construction work. The departments responsible for carrying out the necessary approvals include, but are not limited to, the county governments, the public health office, National Construction Authority (NCA) and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

Each department checks and approves different things during the building approval process. The county

Approval by NEMA begins with an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by a licensed professional, who then compiles and submits the report to NEMA together with the approvals from the county government’s physical planning and public health departments.

Upon receipt of the documents, NEMA does further evaluation by visiting the proposed construction site, seeking the input of external Lead Agencies and experts and producing a project report which is then shared with the respective county government’s environment committee for further review. NEMA may then issue or deny a construction or project license depending on the magnitude of the environmental impact the building might cause.

The last step in approving buildings happens at the National Construction Authority which is the statutory agency mandated to regulate the building and construction industry and ensure strict compliance with quality standards. With the approvals from County Planning

and public health departments and NEMA, the developer can create an NCA online account and submit the licenses, certificates and documents presented and issued in the previous stages such as architectural and structural designs, registration and practicing certificates and licenses of the construction professionals to work on the project, signed contracts, developers KRA pin certificate and NEMA project licence. After checking and verifying all the necessary documentation and approvals, NCA then conducts a visit to the proposed site to inspect and ascertain that the supervisor and contractors are accredited, and have approved protective equipment, and that the approved drawings and site board with all the details are on site. Building and construction in Kenya are also regulated by other bodies and agencies depending on the location and impact of the buildings.

Industry’s sorry state

Despite the extensive approval process, the collapse of buildings is still commonplace phenomenon happening every so often across East Africa. Barely one month ago, a seven-story building

under construction collapsed in Kasarani Constituency in Nairobi, killing at least two people and injuring scores. One week before the Kasarani incident, an eight-story building under construction collapsed in Tassia in Embakasi Constituency. A similar incident was reported last year when a building collapsed on Kisenyi Road in Uganda killing at least 6 and injuring others following another building collapse in Kitebi which claimed the life of one person.

A report by the National Construction Authority released in 2020 indicated that 87 buildings had collapsed in Kenya in the last five years, causing an estimated 200 deaths and more than 1000 injuries and translating to a loss of Sh.2.4 billion property. The report showed that many of the collapsed buildings were in Nairobi followed by Kiambu, Nakuru, Mombasa and Kakamega.

The report further indicated that residential houses are the most prone to collapse and represent 65% of the total collapsed buildings. Commercial and mixed-use houses accounted for 34% and 10% respectively. It is also worth noting that 66% of the collapsed buildings were after completion while 34% were in the

process of construction.

While construction stakeholders have different opinions on the causes of the collapse of buildings, the report states that the leading cause is poor workmanship. Most developers fail to hire qualified and competent contractors, opting instead to go for cheap unskilled labor who lack the technical know-how on appropriate curing, mixing ratios, and standards thus jeopardizing the strength of the building. Other causes of collapse of buildings include corruption in the government agencies mandated to approve buildings.

Some officials let developers circumvent the stipulated procedures and regulations at a cost thereby failing to enforce the regulations thus endangering the safety and welfare of occupants.

Laxity on the part of the regulatory bodies allows developers and contractors to use poor structural designs, secondrate construction materials and poor maintenance.

Today, more than 700 houses are a high risk of collapsing and therefore unsafe for occupation. The reasons for the collapse of buildings are similar in the entire East African region.

A building that has collapsed moments after construction

Excavators on a rescue mission at a collapsed building in Kampala, Uganda. Buildings have been collapsing in major towns in East Africa, with Nairobi being the most notorious with such cases.

A megaproject rises in East Africa

Roads, railways, port, pipelines to link Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan

By Wanjohi Kabukuru

Adistinctive, glass-panelled multi-storey building with tall stone arches stands out in the bushes of Magogoni in Kenya’s historic coastal town of Lamu. It is the headquarters of a $25 billion infrastructure project— the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor—which will link Kenya with Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan.

The far-reaching project involves a railway, a highway, a crude oil pipeline and a fibre-optic cable connecting the four countries. The project will also include several airports, resort cities, an oil refinery, a 32-berth port in Lamu and other supporting infrastructure mini projects.

Once completed, the LAPSSET railway will connect to West Africa’s Douala–Lagos–Cotonou–Abidjan Corridor, running through Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire respectively.

Experts view the LAPSSET project as a major contribution to the African Union’s regional integration vision of a peaceful, prosperous and fully integrated continent by 2063. In fact, during the 2015 AU General Assembly, African leaders endorsed the project under the AU’s Presidential Infrastructure Championship Initiative (PICI). Admission into PICI signals that a project is critical to the continent’s regional integration aspiration.

The project will also include construction of Kenya’s second seaport in Lamu, which is expected to be bigger than the currently overstretched Mombasa port. Both ports will help boost Kenya’s status as a transport and logistics hub for the East Africa and Horn of Africa regions.

Although the project seems a promising idea, it had to be shelved for years after

its conceptualization in 1972, nine years after Kenya achieved independence, because the young republic could not afford the exorbitant projected costs. In 2008, then President Mwai Kibaki revived the project with the hope that part of its $16 billion budget would be financed in subsequent national budgets.

Amid the pomp and colour of welcome celebrations, in March 2012 President Salva Kiir of South Sudan, then Prime Minister of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi and President Kibaki travelled to Lamu to lay the foundation stone for the port, signalling their determination to kickstart the project.

At the onset, Kenya received financial assurances from foreign private investors. However, Brazil, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Qatar and South Korea, though they promised to fund the project, failed to fulfil their commitments. This forced Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan to agree to use domestic resources to finance their respective parts of the project.

Kenya was frustrated by a lack of interest from foreign investors, even as it faced pressure from South Sudan, which on a number of occasions openly complained about the slow pace of the project. Oil-rich South Sudan pays high transit charges on its oil exports to its neighbour, Sudan. South Sudan is therefore keen to use the potentially cheaper LAPSSET corridor for oil exports to India and the Far East, although the civil conflict in the newly independent country is creating concerns among major oil producers.

The Kenyan government decided to pick up the tab for the project, which had risen to $24.7 billion from the initial estimate of $16 billion, and allocated 16% of its 2016/2017 budget to LAPSSET. Kenya can afford to pay the total $24

billion project cost only in phases. This will allow it to construct 32 berths for the Lamu port, the starting point of the LAPSSET project. A similar financing scheme has been adopted for the roads, railway, oil pipeline, resort cities and three airports.

In 2013 the China Communications Construction Company was awarded a contract worth $478.9 million to construct the first three berths, to be ready by 2019. Then contracts for another set of berths will be awarded.

“In the next five years the port will be completed just like other components of the project,” said Silvester Kasuku, director general of the LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority. “A lot has been achieved in making this dream a reality. We have a fully-fledged state corporation to ensure the project is achieved.”

In addition, according to Mr. Kasuku, over 5,000 jobs have been created since construction started in 2012. But there are questions as to who benefited from these employment opportunities. The immediate first-level jobs available in LAPSSET require literacy and education, which are limited among community members and other nationals in the region.

Second-level opportunities, such as local informal trade and business, may not immediately benefit local pastoral

and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa,” having been continuously inhabited for over 700 years. A decade later, the UN agency urged the Kenyan government to consider the cultural and natural heritage of the island even as it executed the LAPSSET project.

Nevertheless, initial scepticism has given way to hope that the project will boost local and regional economies.

“Our lives have changed. We used to hear about the proposed port. We never expected to experience it in our lifetimes,” says Jaffar Athumani, a Lamu resident. He adds, “Initially people were afraid that the government would confiscate their land without compensation and this led to our opposing the construction of the port. The situation is different now.”

Mr. Athumani’s excitement is echoed by many other residents, but that is only after the government disbursed about $8.8 million to compensate 154 families whose lands were affected by the construction.

for cross-border infrastructure projects. The regional hub was made public by the Sustainable Development Investment Partnership (SDIP) on the first day of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The SDIP Africa Hub will mobilize blended finance, a combination of funding from private investors and lenders, governments and philanthropic funds.

SDIP members include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Citi, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norwary, Sweden, UK and US. Others are the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Deutsche Bank, East Capital, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank.

community members, who lack capital and access to credit—meaning they will be late to market.

Besides financing the megaproject, the government has had to deal with concerns about the environment and with compensation for owners of the land the roads and railway will pass through.

In 2008, when the project was revived, environmental activists warned that Lamu’s fragile coastal ecosystem could be destroyed through clearance of mangrove forests, oil pollution and degradation of the famed Old Town area of Lamu. Lack of compensation for land owners and lack of community participation in the planning process also generated hostility towards the project.

Lamu residents coalesced under the Save Lamu lobby in 2012 and took the Kenyan government to court. “Lamu has been our home for generations and we were concerned that a project of this magnitude could be undertaken without our participation,” said Mohamed Ali Baddi, who leads Lamu Environmental Protection and Conservation.

Lamu Old Town, which dates back to the 14th century, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. It is, according to UNESCO, “the oldest

Kenya’s National Land Commission initiated a compensation scheme in 2014 under which dozens of landowners and fishermen received an average of $50,000 for their land and expected loss of fishing grounds.

Also, about 5,000 fishermen are to receive mechanized fishing boats and fishing gear, while fish-processing industries will be established in Lamu.

Fortunes may finally be changing for Lamu since donors in May 2016 formed an African hub to mobilise $20 billion

Other contributors are HSBC, the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited, Inter-American Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, Investeringsfonden for Udviklingslande, Meridiam Infrastructure, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Standard Chartered. With renewed government commitment and positive signals from the international funding community, LAPSSET is set to become a reality.

This article was first published by Africa Renewal, a United Nations digital magazine that covers Africa’s economic, social and political developments.

Workers at the LAPSSET infrastructure project in Lamu.

LAPSSET.

Is prefabricated housing the future of real estate?

This

By Correspondent

Prefabs have become a popular building technology, with most developers opting to explore this niche for the dynamic market.

Prefabricated homes are built from components made offsite, in a factory setting and then transported and assembled on-site.

This is a cutting-edge building technology that many developers and contractors are adopting and embracing due to its numerous benefits and versatility. Prefabricated materials can range from doors, window walls, and stairs to wall panels, roof trusses, and even entire buildings.

Prefabrication is relevant in areas or situations where the houses to be built consist of multiple smaller and similar units or complex designs that may be difficult to design at the construction site. It is also preferred in remote and highly populated areas with poor road and electricity infrastructure, making transporting bulky building materials and on-site manufacturing of materials difficult or impossible. Moreover, fabricated homes are ideal when the construction time is short and work may be complicated by extremely bad weather

conditions and high costs. This cutting-edge technology has several benefits and challenges. However, its increasing popularity is owed to the fact that the pros and strengths far outweigh the cons and weaknesses. To begin with, using fabricated building technology has been known to significantly cut the cost of construction, thus saving developers from spending prohibitively on homes and houses.

Fabricated homes are more affordable to build than most stick-built homes since building components are pre-built offsite and require fewer construction workers to assemble, thus significantly reducing the amount of money spent on labour. Additionally, suppliers of prefab materials often give huge discounts to manufacturers who buy the materials in bulk which trickle down to the developer and the tenant.

Prefab homes save time as they take much shorter to build than stickbuilt homes. The units arrive at the construction site halfway finished. Except for obtaining necessary permits and clearances and interference with extreme weather conditions, prefab homes can take very few days to complete. The components used in fabricated

construction are easy to transport to the construction site without significant traffic snarl-ups or shortages, reducing disruptions interfering with the workflow. Prefabs, therefore, enable developers to start receiving a return on investment from their homes or houses within a short period.

The building and construction industry is one of the leading contributors to climate change and global warming, among today’s greatest threats to life. Prefab technology contributes to the sustainability and conservation of the ecosystem because it uses materials that consume low amounts of energy, are easily recyclable, and allow accurate measurements and construction. Prefab houses are also efficient in ventilation, lighting, and insulation, contributing to green building more than most conventional homes/ houses. The technology reduces carbon footprint, thus making the air cleaner and safer for humans and other living organisms.

Prefabricated houses have improved consistency, quality and safety standards since the materials are manufactured in a weather-resistant factory setting, using standardized machines and skilled labourers, following precise procedures

and ensuring that quality checks are adhered to. The consistency and quality of the materials make prefab construction sites safer as the prefabricated materials tend to be resistant to moisture, water, excess heat, or physical force. Constructors of prefab homes are, therefore, safer from hazards, injuries, and death which are prone in conventional building sites where accuracy and procedures are difficult to maintain. The prospects and popularity of this technology are highly likely to improve in the region owing to the benefits. Yet, the benefits and growing popularity notwithstanding, prefabricated construction presents some disadvantages to industry players, including developers and tenants of prefab homes. Most prefab materials come with preset standards and measurements, which present limited design, layout and customization options

to the developer. In an ever-changing industry where architects, civil engineers, and contractors prefer versatility, using preset materials may impede creativity in construction.

Prefab homes also face the disadvantage of stigmatization and negative perception as most people still view them as low quality. This reduces their value hence denying developers the guarantee of return on investment and making them an incredibly low resell value. The likelihood of reselling prefab homes at a loss is higher because most people hold conventional brick houses, popularly known as “permanent,” in high esteem.

Prefab homes and houses are also associated with location restrictions and other hidden costs of land and utilities. Some regional and, local laws may restrict the placement or establishment

of prefab homes or houses, even if the developer legally owns the land owing to the negative perception of the impacts of prefab houses on the value or status— perceived or real—of the neighbourhood and the people who live there. Additionally, although prefab homes are popular due to their affordability, developers still incur the costs of land, soil tests and associated costs of the foundation, waste disposal systems, electricity connectivity and landscaping depending on the financial ability and preferences of the developer. Some of the leading prefabricated construction companies in the region include LiteCon Africa, SP Housing and Baati Limited. Examples of prefabricated projects in East Africa include Agol Site office and office and support units in Mombasa and Malindi, Kenya, respectively; Tanzania Ports Authority Weigh Stops, Premium Customized Office Space for Songas Limited in Tanzania, UNICEF Checkpoint and Isolation Centres in Zanzibar. In Uganda, prefabricated houses such as Physiotherapy Center in Kampala, Mengo Hospital, and Catholic Relief Hospital, among others, have been built.

East African countries have a serious housing problem with most of their urban populations living in informal and indecent settlements where socioeconomic problems such as violence, insecurity, illiteracy, diseases, and poverty abound. Adopting prefab homes will help increase decent and affordable housing units to mitigate the housing deficit and attendant challenges.

cutting-edge technology has several benefits and challenges. However, its increasing popularity is owed to the fact that the pros and strengths far outweigh the cons and weaknesses

Left: A pitched roofed house constructed using prefabricated technology, (Right), a flat prefab roofed house.

Aflat prefab roofed house.

Aflat prefab roofed house.

Major Road infrastructure projects constructed in East Africa

Road construction in the East African region and elsewhere in the world has been synonymous with development, with governments touting major road development projects in their respective countries

By Clive Olero

Over the past decade, east African partner states have embarked on massive construction of mega road projects and superhighways to mitigate the challenges and hurdles of traffic and transport and spur economic development. Road construction across East Africa has created direct employment opportunities, supported the growth of local industries and expanded the region’s infrastructural connectivity.

For a long time, most roads in the region have been characterized by potholes, shoulder drop-offs, uneven pavements, roadway obstructions, lack

of road-appropriate signs and guardrails, and water pooling. This phenomenon is fast changing as most of East Africa’s major town’s skylines are changing, and a new face is emerging across East African countries.

Road construction in the East African region and elsewhere in the world has been synonymous with development, with governments touting major road development projects in their respective countries as the successes of their regimes. However, owing to the high costs of such mega road projects, East African member states are forced to seek funding from developed countries such as China, and global and regional institutions

such as World Bank, JICA, European Union, and African Development Bank, to mention a few, to finance the development of road infrastructure. Notable infrastructural projects in Kenya recently include Thika Superhighway, Standard Gauge Railway, and the Nairobi Expressway and the Lapsset Corridor programme linking Kenya to South Sudan and Ethiopia. In Tanzania, the construction of the Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway is ongoing among a series of road projects across the country that will improve efficiency, reduce traffic congestion and contribute to economic development in the country and the region. Recent road

infrastructural projects in Uganda include the Busega-Mpigi Expressway Project and the rehabilitation and upgrade of Kampala City roads and the KabaleLake Bunyonyi-Mgahinga road, while in Rwanda, there is an ambitious Kigali Infrastructure Project (KIP) that is aiming to construct, rehabilitate and upgrade several roads around Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.

Thika Superhighway is a 50-km eightlane superhighway from Nairobi to Thika through residential estates such as Muthaiga, Kasarani, Guthurai, Ruiru, and Juja. The road was constructed between 2009 and 2012 during the late President Mwai Kibaki’s tenure at the cost of Ksh.360 billion, which the African Development Bank, the Exim Bank of China and the government of Kenya jointly provided. The road has significantly reduced traffic congestion and travel time between towns such as Thika, Nyeri, Embu, Marsabit, and Moyale to Nairobi, thereby reducing wastage and losses caused by delays in reporting to work or getting agricultural products to the market. The travel time between Nairobi and Thika has been reduced to approximately 30 minutes from 2-3 hours before the road was constructed. It has also opened up commercial centres and spurred socio-economic development in the city’s outskirts, with shops, rental houses, malls, and learning institutions established at various points along the highway. Although the construction contract was awarded to three Chinese companies, namely Sheng Li Engineering Construction, China Wu Yi Company, and Sinohydro Corporation, the project created employment opportunities for approximately 4,000 people, thereby providing income and improving their livelihoods.

The most recent mega road project in Kenya is the Nairobi Expressway, a 27 km four-lane dual carriage whose construction was officially launched by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2019. The road begins near Kenyatta International Airport at Mlolongo along Mombasa road and stretches through Uhuru highway and Waiyaki way to Westlands. The expressway was built through a Public-Private Partnership between the Kenyan Government and

the China Road and Bridge Construction Corporation on a build-operate-transfer model at the cost of Ksh.62 billion. The road project is expected to improve connectivity between Nairobi and the northern corridor, thereby easing the flow of traffic and reducing congestion, and travel time on Mombasa road, Uhuru highway and Waiyaki way. The expressway will also lead to development in the real estate industry and commercial establishments as people are attracted by efficient transport systems.

The Kampala-Mpigi Expressway project in Uganda is a four-lane express dual carriage highway that is expected on completion to connect Kampala and Mpigi town, the administrative and commercial headquarter of Mpigi District. The project, which is co-funded by the Government of Uganda, the African Development Bank and the African Development Bank Fund, is being constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCCC) and China Railway 19th Bureau Group (U) Ltd at the cost of approximately UGX 550 billion. The project will, upon completion, improve road transport connectivity and efficiency and reduce the cost of transport, thus improving the country’s agri-business industry and economy by enabling farmers to transport perishable agricultural products to access markets faster. The road will also reduce traffic congestion on the Kampala-

Mpigi-Masaka road and improve the effectiveness of the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, the Kampala Northern Bypass and service roads.

Rwanda’s Kigali Infrastructure Project (KIP) targets to construct, rehabilitate and upgrade approximately 215 km of roads, including 10 km of Zindiro-MasiziBirembo-Kami-Gasanze road, 9.8 km of Mulindi-Gasogi-Rusororo-Kabuga road, 8.6 km of Miduha-Mageragere prison road, and Nyabugogo-Poids LourdKanogo road of 4.9 Km, among others. The project, which is being done in six phases, is expected, upon completion in 2024, to improve the efficiency of Rwanda’s road transport by reducing traffic congestion and time spent on traffic.

The East African regional member states are increasingly prioritizing road infrastructural development, rehabilitation, expansion, upgrading and maintenance to improve national and regional interconnectivity and spur regional economic development. While the future of road infrastructural expansion is promising, the lack of funds to finance the projects continues to impede road projects across East African countries. Individual member states and the EAC should devise sustainable ways of funding road projects to mitigate the extent of their indebtedness to funders while also keeping up with the rest of the world.

The Thika Superhighway in Kenya, a mega road project constructed during late former President Mwai Kibaki tenure.

The most recent mega road project in Kenya, the 27-km four-lane dual carriage Nairobi Expressway.

Unpacking the Arusha-Holili/ Taveta-Voi Road Project

expressed optimism stating that the road would help decongest traffic in Arusha and Moshi, promote intra-regional trade by easing the transportation of goods and people across EAC countries, and foster integration of the EAC.

By connecting Tanzania and the Coastal city of Kenya, which hosts one of Africa’s biggest ports, the road project also benefits hotel operators, tourism and hospitality; export/import and freight; agribusiness, manufacturers, and the entire business community in the EAC. The road also benefits local communities in the two countries by reducing travel time and cost, easing access to bigger markets and numerous

border hospitals such as Moshi Hospital, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Hospital (KCMC) and Taveta District Hospital.

Besides, the road created hundreds of job opportunities during its construction. It directly provided income to the local youthful population who provided labour or supplied food and other services to the labourers. The incomes, in turn, improved the livelihoods and well-being of the local communities. According to the African Development Bank Project Appraisal Report, the road project has created approximately 2000 jobs in the two countries, 1100 in Tanzania and 800 in Kenya. The construction of the road has also led to the emergence of modern

settlements and business expansion along the stretch between Arusha and Voi.

Construction of the Kenyan side of the road project commenced in 2014. However, the road project was officially jointly launched by the then Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta in 2015. The construction was scheduled to be implemented in five years, between 2013 and 2018. The Kenyan side of the road was completed in 2017, while the Tanzanian side has also had significant progress, including the completion and launch of the one-stop border post at the Holili-Taveta border in 2016 and the Arusha Bypass in 2022.

Through the EAC Secretariat, the East African Community member states have invested in various road projects linking them. The ArushaHolili/ Taveta-Voi Road, which links Kenya and Tanzania at the Taveta-Holili border, is one such project. The road links the Northern Corridor at Voi to the Central Corridor across the common market at Holili/ Taveta and extends to Arusha and Moshi.

The governments of the two EAC countries, through Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), Tanzania National Roads Authority and East African Community Secretariat, undertook to build the road jointly. This was in a bid to improve the efficiency of cross-border transport and the seamless integration of people between Kenya and Tanzania.

The 240km regional road project was jointly funded by the African Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Governments of Kenya and Tanzania at an estimated cost of $400

million. The African Development Bank donated approximately $217 million, of which $112 million was given to the government of Tanzania and $105million to the government of Kenya.

The road starts at Sakina in Arusha along the existing road passing through Usa River and Moshi and finally to the border town of Holili. On the Tanzanian side, the road covers a distance of about 157 km, constituting 115 km of the existing Arusha-Moshi-Holili road and 42 km of a bypass. On the Kenyan side, the Taveta-Mwatate-Voi road and the bypass cover a distance of 101 km.

Some of the significant components on the Tanzanian side of the ArushaHolili/ Taveta-Voi road project include the construction of the 42km Arusha Bypass, the dualling of the 14km SakinaTengeru section and the construction of two roadside amenities at Tengeru, one on each side of the dual carriageway. On the Kenyan side, the project involved upgrading the 89km Mwatate-Taveta section, constructing the 12km Taveta Bypass, and constructing two roadside amenities at Bura and Maktau along the

Mwatate-Taveta road, one on each side of the road.

The Arusha Bypass, a section of the multinational road, was officially launched in August 2022 by the Heads of State of the East Africa Community (EAC) during the EAC Heads of State summit held in Arusha. The launch was led by former President of Kenya and EAC Chairperson Uhuru Kenyatta, who was accompanied by his counterpart, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Other regional presidents present during the unveiling of the road were Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Evariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi) and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia). Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda were represented by their respective Prime Ministers, while South Sudan was represented by its Minister for Presidential Affairs.

Leaders present at the launch, including Uhuru Kenyatta, Suluhu Hassan and the African Development Bank Director General for East Africa, Nnenna Nwabufo lauded the project. The leaders

The one-stop border post at HoliliTaveta has improved the harmonization of transit clearance and the effective use of time. Unlike in the past, where traders, travelers and luggage were cleared by officers sitting on either side of the border, the one-stop border post eliminates the strenuous customs clearance procedures by having two officers sitting under one roof, thus preventing unnecessary delays. The post is also spacious enough and accommodates office buildings and facilities for parking, offloading and verification.

Like any other mega road project, the Arusha-Holili/Taveta-Voi project has negatively impacted local communities and the natural ecosystem. One of the adverse impacts of the road project has been the disruption of wildlife at Tsavo West National Park owing to the construction activities. The presence of construction workers around the animals’ ecosystem could also have led to increased human-wildlife conflict. Additionally, the road project led to the displacement of persons and the destruction of homes, schools, churches, businesses and farms. It is estimated that in Kenya, about 397 households were affected, while in Tanzania, about 1066 were.

ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

East African Community Heads of State and other leaders pose for a photo during the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the major road project.

Parts of the Arusha-Holili/Taveta-Voi Road

Mi Vida Homes’ befitting housing projects

The property developer has attracted global recognition cognizant of its standard projects, and continues to strike partnerships that offers clients very flexible mortgage rates

By Ben Oduor

Mi Vida Homes, a leading institutional home builder, and Gulf African Bank, the premier Shari’ah compliant bank in Kenya in September entered into a partnership that targets homeowners who are seeking to take advantage of the lender’s prevailing low mortgage rate of 11.75% to purchase quality homes financed in a Shari’ah-compliant manner. The partnership will allow Gulf African Bank’s customers and non-customers to access Shari’ah-compliant mortgages and related banking products to purchase units at the newly completed Mi Vida at Garden City project located within Garden City and in any new project by Mi Vida homes.

Mi Vida Homes CEO, Mr. Samuel Kariuki, said that the partnership

with Gulf African Bank is part of the developer’s strategy to increase financing options for potential home buyers. “We are constantly seeking partnerships with institutions that offer potential homeowners a wide variety of home financing options. Gulf African Bank has unique product offers for customers who prefer using financing models that are anchored on Shari’ah principles,” said Mr. Kariuki.

Gulf African Bank on its part said that Kenyans will now be able to access financing needed to purchase housing units that meet their needs of affordability and quality. “Our mortgage offering features Mortgage transfers or take overs from other financial institutions, outright purchases for new home buyers, Diaspora mortgages and Equity release arrangements.

Interested buyers will enjoy a record unprecedented approval time of 48 hours and enjoy the lowest mortgage rate in Kenya at 11.75%. The Bank accepts multiple payment vehicles including pay slips, cash savings and sale of investment property. Customers will also enjoy a repayment period of up to 20 years”, said Anuj Mediratta, Gulf African Bank’s CEO.

Mi Vida Homes recently completed Mi Vida at Garden City, a mixed-use development along Thika Road. The project consists of 221 apartments located in the larger Garden City ecosystem that encompasses retail and commercial spaces within the confines of a single location.

Mi Vida Homes also announced that it will develop affordable housing units in the Riruta area of Nairobi County.The developer is also eyeing projects in other areas as part of its ambition to deliver quality and affordable housing to the Kenyan market.

Mi Vida Garden City, the EDGE certified project Cognizant of its predominant intelligent designs, Mi Vida Homes’ mid-market housing project at Garden City was awarded the EDGE certification by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on account of the project’s energy and

water-saving design.

The IFC EDGE certification is an internationally recognized green building certification system that certifies resource-efficient and Zero Carbon buildings.

Mi Vida’s project at Garden City was IFC Edge Certified due to its intelligent design, from conception, construction, and operation, that is set to save power use by up to 39 percent and water use by up to 44 percent.

Mi Vida Homes CEO Samuel Kariuki said that the green design is a response to the growing shift by users to buildings that optimize and minimize the use of water, energy, and other scarce resources. “Homeowners are increasingly seeking out green homes since efficient design results in real cost savings, for example in electricity and water bills. ESG is also now a key component of investor due diligence as developers fundraise” said Mr. Kariuki.

The development along Thika Road implemented the IFC’s EDGE recommendations such as lighting controls, installing motion sensors and daylight sensors, which are significantly expected to reduce monthly power bills for homeowners.

The mixed-use development also uses water-saving equipment such as aerators and auto shut-off faucets.

Aerators mix water with air to cause turbulence in the flow and this in turn gives an increased sense of pressure without increasing the flow rate. The developer is expected to implement similar energy and water-saving designs in the next phase of the project and for its upcoming project in the Riruta area of Nairobi County.

Mi Vida Homes recently completed the construction of its flagship project that consists of 221 apartments located in the larger Garden City ecosystem that encompasses retail and commercial spaces within the confines of a single location.

Mi Vida Homes CEO, Samuel Kariuki.

Inside one of the apartments developed by Mi Vida Homes.

An impression of the housing project .

AI is

coming

for construction, experts say

2023 will be the year of widespread adoption, if contractors can get a handle on their data - and learn to share.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence

With its ability to learn, solve problems and recognize patterns at a velocity and scale no human will ever match, artificial intelligence is poised to reshape how buildings are designed, built and operated - and 2023 will be the year it takes hold.

“Artificial intelligence will transform our industry in the next 10 years more than any other technology in the past 100 years,” said James Barrett, chief innovation officer for Turner Construction, US’ largest contractor. “It’s going to be huge because it has such broad application in so many cases. It’s not a question of if. It’s a question of when.”

In 2022, 92% of construction companies said they were using or intend to use AI, according to Peak’s Decision Intelligence Maturity Index, but most are far from ready. Only 65% of construction companies’ AI projects have been successful - among the lowest percentage of all industries surveyed.

AI and machine learning, a subset of AI that uses algorithms to learn from data without human programming, have been bubbling under the surface of construction operations for a few years now. But this year, Barrett predicted, “the growth curve is going to turn up really fast.”

Combining the power of intelligent machines with human ingenuity, AI is the digital brain that makes industrychanging technologies such as robotics, blockchain and 3D printing possible. With its superpowers in modeling and pattern detection as well as prediction and optimization, AI can reduce expensive errors and worksite injuries; train and eventually replace increasingly scarce workers; enhance sustainability and circularity; design, maintain and operate buildings; and clean up and give transparency to the supply chain.

And just as OpenAI’s headlinegrabbing ChatGPT can now deliver AI’s vast knowledge within seconds to anyone who can ask a question, AI can quickly

and efficiently solve problems that have plagued construction for centuries, without the need for a department staffed with MIT- and Stanford-educated pros to crack its code. AI is becoming easier to use, opening up to everyone from designers to jobsite crews, Barrett told Construction Dive.

“We’re already seeing AI tools becoming more democratized, if you will,” he said. “There are solutions that don’t require super advanced technical programming language capabilities.”

Data management is key

In 2022, 92% of construction companies said they were using or intend to use AI, according to Peak’s Decision Intelligence Maturity Index, but most are far from ready. Only 65% of construction companies’ AI projects have been successful - among the lowest percentage of all industries surveyed.

In an industry that’s never been known for welcoming change, technological resistance is certainly a factor in lagging

AI adoption. But the biggest obstacle construction companies face, both individually and collectively, is getting a handle on their data.

“We all have this abundance of data,” said Tim Gaylord, corporate director of innovation for Redwood City, Calif.based DPR Construction, which for the past several years has been integrating AI capabilities into its tech stack and developing proprietary AI solutions to address issues such as staffing shortages, safety concerns and cost and schedule overruns. “We’re collecting it from so many different sources, and we’re at this kind of tipping point where I think we’re going to see companies focus on it to really leverage it better.”

Collecting and managing data in a dynamic and complex industry like construction is much more challenging than it is in controlled environments like manufacturing and automotive, said Aviad Almagor, vice president of technology innovation for construction tech provider Trimble.

“Construction is a bit behind,” Almagor added, “but I’m very optimistic that we are moving in the right direction.”

Right now, most of the industry’s data lives in silos, owned by many different entities who are hesitant to share it because of competitive concerns, and the industry hasn’t been collecting a lot of the historical data necessary to make modeling and prediction more precise, said Burcin Kaplanoglu, co-founder and vice president of innovation at Oracle Industry Lab, a Chicago-based incubator that explores, tests and validates technologies for construction and engineering, among other industries.

“We’re not just going to get there by magic,” Kaplanoglu said. “We need to take data from jobsites in a way that we can actually make use out of it. But I work with many industry leaders, and everybody is recognizing that. So, I think in the next two years, we’re going to see significant improvement.”

The key for success is sharing, Almagor said.

Mr. James Barret Turner Mr. Aviad Amalgor

PG Bison’s role in boosting beauty in living spaces

The revamped Nairobi plant is technologically advanced and shall allow for increased production of wood-based panels, individual cabinet parts and flat-pack cabinets

By Fred Ndung’u

PG Bison Kenya is a specialist manufacturer of wood & timber interior components used in kitchens, cupboards, kitchen carcasses, shelving, doors & drawers & frontals and built-in cupboards among other house finishing parts and components.

The company also manufactures furniture and fixtures. Courtesy of worldclass CNC machinery and 4th industrial revolution technologies, the company provides fully automated cutting, edging, drilling, grooving, profiling and laminating solutions to create high precision.

Its customized components are manufactured to specifications with its standard components being produced in a knock-down format for quick selfassembly by customers later. It offers a range of kitchen carcass system, built-in wardrobes, entertainment units, office solutions and many more products in flatpack solution.

Its other wood-based solutions include decorative panel products such as particleboard & MDF (medium density fiberboard), post formed worktops, OSB (Oriented Strand Board), PVC edge banding and a wide offering of complementary & contemporary furniture fittings such as hinges, drawer runners, cabinet handles and specialized assembly and support fittings.

PG Bison also offers 3D laminated MDF components with these, having the ability to be routered, shaped and engraved with many designs and then getting laminated with a PVC film; this providing a wide range of designs and finishes to customers. The company strictly adheres to sourcing of high quality wood-based

panels, PVC films, edging, fittings and adhesives.

According to the company’s website’s insights, it has recently invested in aluminium profile processing machinery that is enabling it to offer high quality modern designs of door frontals, integrated handle profiles, and system solutions for furniture legs and shelving. The company continues to partner with global brands in the furniture sector to provide exceptional fittings for its range of products. The brands include Blum, Italiana, ferramenta, Scilm and Kinetic.

Essentially, the company partners with PG Bison South Africa to promote beautiful living throughout Africa in local manufacturing of high quality cabinet components that include individual and flat-pack cabinets that can be assembled within clients’ homes or offices and other premises. The high quality and beautiful, magnificent products are sold in several African markets such as Nigeria and Ghana among others and in other world markets.

Mid-September 2022, PG Bison Kenya celebrated 20 years of successful operations (it was launched in Kenya in September 2002). On the material day, the company also launched its expanded and automated flat pack cabinet manufacturing plant in Nairobi in a measure that has bolstered and its investment in Kenya. It is now ready to tap into the growing market for ready-toassemble cabinet solutions.

Essentially, the revamped Nairobi plant is technologically advanced and shall allow for increased production of woodbased panels, individual cabinet parts and flat-pack cabinets; it has increased employment by 20 per cent. The plant also runs an automated dispatch with any delays being monitored in 24 hours shifts; a first-come first-served mode of dispatch, where waiting clients are systematically assigned the next free loading bay in place.

The modernized plant assures production of 1 M2 (million) of flat pack cabinet manufacturing up from 400,000M2 currently. The potential for individual cabinets is 3M2. The plant shall

now ably use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics in some of its operations and with the new development creating chances for 125 new jobs as an addition to the current 236 employees at the company. The company is looking to reach all parts of the country with orders facilitated through IT and cloud for order placing.

PG Bison also operates a plant in Mombasa City along Lumumba rd. PG Bison Kenya MD, Hitesh Mediratta, told a Press briefing after tour of the Nairobi Plant that the company has invested over Ksh750 million in its recent initiatives including in the Nairobi plant upgrade. Notably, PG Bison Kenya has in the last over 18 months moved to increase its manufacturing capacity by investing in machinery systems that improve efficiencies and enhance customer experience.

“Our commitment in the last 20 years is evident in our growing of PG Bison’s footprint in Kenya. Evidently, we’ve up-scaled our investments to include large scale manufacturing of value-add furniture components. These investments are driven by our strong local partnership, resilient economic outlook and the government’s supportive policy in the manufacturing industry and its recent announcement of increased investment in the housing sector,” explained Gerhard Victor, MD PG Bison South Africa, during the launch.

As a supplier of wood-based panels, furniture components and readyto-assemble cabinetry, PG Bison is committed to training local furniture artisans to empower them as installer partners in the value chain to provide customers with best-in-class product designs and finished products. The training has been a boost to Kenya’s SMEs sector with over 1,000 of carpenters having undergone the training.

Essentially, the company has also helped in creating over 200 SMEs furniture and interior/exterior cabinet individual assemblers and installers and linked them with end users, developers and contractors. This resonates with the government’s focus on growing the

SME sector and increasing employment opportunities.

“With determination, we can substitute importation of finished furniture and have the same locally manufactured. Furniture manufacturing can be laborintensive and significantly contribute to more jobs and government revenue. Yet, there is need to attain global competitiveness. However, the high duties levied on wood-based panels and other raw materials used in furniture manufacturing and the high levels of inward logistic costs need to be tackled,” Hitesh Mediratta added.

According to him ex-factory costs in Kenya are far higher than that of factories in China and this primarily is due to the comparative cost of inputs into the plant. His views are that Kenya must attain a vibrant export market. This can also be achieved through the negotiation of favorable terms under Africa Continental Free Trade area (AfCFTA).

“We focus on our customer needs for quality furniture products and we continuously seek to provide long-lasting performance in our products. We partner with carefully selected suppliers who conform to the required quality and environmental standards. Further, we continuously provide hands-on training sessions to all our market segments on correct applications of our products, machining and assembly techniques, usage of hand tools and a range of best practices required up the value chain,” expounded PG Bison Kenya’s Sales & Marketing Director Dipan Mediratta.

The training has been a boost to Kenya’s SMEs sector with over 1,000 of carpenters having undergone the training.

Former Trade Cabinet Secretary Mrs. Betty Maina with officials from PG Bisson, a specialist manufacture of wood and timber interior components.

“PG Bison South Africa chose to work with PG Bison Kenya 20 years ago after surveying many plants worldwide and finding the plant in Kenya fitting. This plant continues to enable beautiful living in homes and offices and other commercial spaces,” explained Gerhard Victor, MD PG Bison South Africa who was at the event.

“We are happy to see materials converted here to produce local solutions,” Victor appreciated. He commended PG Bison Kenya for maintaining high quality, using resources

Construction Technology for the Future

Construction industry is evolving by the day, which has necessitated adoption of new technology. Here are some of the inventions:

By Clive Olero

The construction industry is adopting some of the latest technological solutions to enhance delivery, efficiency, accuracy and cost-effectiveness. The following are some leading tech solutions for the construction industry’s future.

Data Collection Apps

Construction involves numerous tasks which have to be assigned to different individuals and progress reports delivered on a regular and timely basis. Traditional data management system is tedious, insecure, time-consuming and prone to errors. Technological advancement in construction enables construction players to develop applications and software to

help in collecting and managing data efficiently. For data collection apps to be useful, they must achieve three key objectives: accuracy, portability and accessibility.

Accuracy in construction is everything. All data about a project need to be precise, correct and up-to-date to prevent wastage, delays and errors. Data collection apps, therefore, eliminate one of the primary challenges of paper records: inaccuracy. Portability has to do with the ease of performing tasks on-site. Data application apps are designed for mobile and easily portable devices. Accessibility means that every team member should be able to access, share and analyze data to make prompt decisions without distortion or loss.

Unlike traditional data collection, which is difficult to access by many people simultaneously, data collection apps enable real-time peer review of work in progress.

The advantages of using data collection apps include improving the transparency of collaboration, increasing productivity and streamlining operations and analysis. In addition, with data collection apps, contractors and engineers can create compliance checklists and use them to generate reports or make necessary adjustments.

Similarly, data collection apps enhance the safety of workers as they enable teams to hold meetings virtually and monitor and report risk factors and accidents on-site. Examples of data collection apps

correctly in product application and investing in latest technology.

Victor affirmed that PG Bison is and commits to remain a market leader. “In South Africa, we produce raw materials for supply to Kenya courtesy of our 44,092 hectares of tree plantations which we manage sustainably,” he revealed. The forest in South Africa has multiple uses including for rearing and sustaining 5,416 herds of cattle.

There is a saw-mill and a construction poles department. He affirmed that the company, akin to what PG Bison

Kenya practices, takes good care of employees. The company is also engaged in education feeding program as part of CSR and also empowers communities by providing vegetables growing skills for better nutrition. It has over 2,000 employees.

PG Bison South Africa also manufactures wood chemicals such as resin among others and treats paper in a paper impregnation plant. It operates three main plants in different parts of South Africa.

The officials launching PG Bison’s expanded and automated flat pack cabinet manufacturing plant in Nairobi.

A house being constructed using a 3-D printing machine

used in construction include Device Magic, Fulcrum, FastField and Jotform.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality uses computer technology to create simulated environments by placing the user inside a threedimensional experience. It allows the simulation of human senses—smell, touch, hearing, sight, and taste—and transforms a computer into a vehicle for new future worlds.

This tech solution provides an effective tool for safety and training and avoids expensive overruns. The application of virtual reality in the construction industry gives contractors a more accurate view of what to expect on the job site before, during and after completion. Virtual reality also improves employees’ safety and provides a panoramic view of the components that need to be changed to improve the efficiency of productivity and delivery.

Benefits of virtual reality in construction include the prevention of rework: due to miscalculations and misalignments by allowing an up-to-date view and review of all job site conditions,

The status of housing in Uganda

The 2022 report by Habitat for Humanity, a United Nations body responsible for projecting the housing states of towns and cities and the basic rights of all persons to adequate shelter, states that the housing deficit in Uganda stands at 2.4 million housing units.

to accommodate its population. By approximation, 94.5% of the Ugandan population resides in informal settlements with limited access to standard sanitation services, security, and quality education and healthcare.

reduction of labor costs, improved client satisfaction and fewer delays in timeline and completion. With the positive impacts of virtual reality already being witnessed, the technology will continue to improve the construction industry and project delivery efficiency.

3-D Printing

3-D printing (in construction) is a tech solution for manufacturing construction elements such as concrete, polymer, metal or entire buildings using a 3-D printer. One commonly used 3-D Printing method is the robotic arm that moves back and forth while performing multiple tasks, including printing complex geometrical structures and curves in larger sizes and from multiple angles. Other methods for 3-D Printing include additive welding and powder binding. An example of additive welding method structure is the full-scale, functioning metal bridge in Amsterdam, printed using 3-D. Powder bonding is 3-D Printing that uses powder as its main raw material.

Powder bonding involves two main methods: binder jetting and powder bed jetting. The former uses a print head that

deposits a liquid adhesive agent on the powder printing bed. The adhesive agent combines with the powder particles forming the required object layer by layer. The latter is done by melting dust particles with a laser on the required object while adding more material layer by layer.

Some benefits of 3-D Printing include faster construction and reduced cost of labour and construction materials, thus improving sustainability. In addition, this technology greatly improves the safety of construction workers by reducing injuries due to falls and wrongful handling of equipment. 3-D printing technology also allows for flexibility in construction, thus enabling easy customization of structures and the creation of new designs. Despite its benefits, 3-D printing is also associated with challenges such as the high costs of machinery it requires, the lack of clear regulations and legislation governing its application and the need for training on effective handling of the equipment and the design of computer models.

Of these, 210,000 units are in urban areas, while about 1.4 million are in rural areas, of which approximately 900,000 are estimated to be a threat to human habitation. These statistics place Uganda on the list of top East African countries in dire need of a proper housing system. The Ugandan population is approximated to be 48 million. The Center for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa reports that Uganda has a 3.5% population growth rate. With such a high growth rate, Uganda requires over three million more housing units

A newly constructed unit by Solana Lifestyle and Residences in Uganda costs about $13,000 to purchase, which is high for the majority of low-income earners.

In a country with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of US$ 640, one does not expect the situation to improve at the current rates and with the current conditions. Ongoing projects, for instance, the NSSF’s Lubowa Housing Project, set on 6000 hectares of land, contain only 306 houses which are merely 10% of the land and is insufficient to meet the high housing demand.

Contrary to the Habitat for Humanity report, whose statistics are similar to those of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics,

the government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Land and Housing, announced a deficit of about eight million in housing by October 2022. The Minister, Judith Nabakooba, has revealed that the government has put in place relevant policies and legal frameworks, such as the National Land use policy of 2009/2013, the National Urban Policy of 2016, and the National Housing Policy of 2018 to ensure affordable housing to low-income citizens by working closely with private investors.

The government promises a lasting collaboration with the private sector to ensure a significant reduction in construction costs. The government has expressed its willingness to donate land to ensure maximum cost reduction to provide affordable housing to all in strict compliance with the real estate regulations.

In a low-income economy with a high

The officials launching PG Bison’s expanded and automated flat pack cabinet manufacturing plant in Nairobi.

The government promises a lasting collaboration with the private sector to ensure a significant reduction in construction costs.

demand for standard and decent housing like Uganda, other players in real estate have often taken advantage of tenants by offering low-quality services. However, the government is encouraging real estate regulators to ensure maximum service delivery and equity. In this pursuit, the government of Uganda continues to call for sanity in this sector by supporting self-regulation measures by real estate players who are also advised to work closely with the road, security, water and power sectors to protect the people from exploitation.

The Ministry of Land and Housing started the National Slum Upgrading Strategy and Action plan to upgrade slums and informal settlements within the country in 2008. The main aim of the plan was to slow down the growth of informal settlements such as Katanga

in Kwempe and Nsambya Kirombe in Mkindye and stop new slums from mushrooming.

Consequently, the action plan was to ensure an effective transition to a modern, affordable and decent housing system by setting and abiding by legal and land market reforms. The government has continued to emphasize the need to revamp planning and zoning regulations as key determinants to the housing initiatives in the informal settlements. The reforms and initiatives put in place by the government have so far seen new structures come up. Companies like Buildnet have taken the initiative to improve the real estate sector by building classic apartments in Naalya, recently launched by the Minister of Land and Housing- in a move to attract massive investments by similar companies to cub

the wide housing gap. The structures built by Buildnet met quality standards and are spacious, elegant, strong, and durable. In September 2022, the government of Uganda, through the office of the President, commissioned the Solana Lifestyle and Residence and the National Social Security Fund to fund the Lubowa Housing Project. This aims to increase the production rate of housing structures to bridge the housing gap. This project only covered up to 10% of the land put aside for the project, which is quite slow compared to the high urbanization rate of about 6% and requires better and improved decongestion programs.

As a major player in housing initiatives, the Government of Uganda is not only ensuring quality and affordable housing from the real estate sector but also creating employment opportunities for a significant population in the sector, promoting equitable income distribution in the economy and lessening poverty. Through National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the government invested about $340 Million in housing projects in 2020, which has since increased as the government continues to fund more housing projects.

As per UN-Habitat’s World Cities and the Ministry of Land and Housing reports, a high commitment is required to completely bridge the housing gap to out-compete other natural calamities that have greatly contributed to the shortage, such as perennial flooding in the mountainous regions of Rwenzoris and Bugisu sub-regions, the Covid-19 pandemic that challenged the economic stability of the people and the increasing fertility rate which is projected to increase the population of the country to 100 million by 2050.

Mega Structures: The Jinja Bridge in Uganda

Statistics show that the Northern Corridor accounts for 2.22 million tonnes of daily transit traffic. The

By Clive Olero

The iconic River Nile measures about 6,696km and passes through 11 countries on its journey to the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile factor has made Jinja town one of the leading tourist attractions in Uganda, as several people visit the place to see the source of the world’s longest river.

The Jinja Bridge, also known as the Source of the Nile Bridge, is one of the biggest bridges in Africa and the biggest and most iconic in Uganda. The 525 metres long dual carriageway bridge runs across the Lake Victoria Nile and connects Njeru town to Jinja. It complements the Nalubaale Bridge, built across the Owens Falls Dam in 1954.

The construction of the bridge was funded by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to the tune of $112 million and an additional $25 million from the government of Uganda. The loan attracts

an annual interest rate of 0.01%, expected to be repaid in ten years with the option of an extension to 40 years. The bridge was built by Zenitaka Corporation from Japan and Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company from South Korea after they won the contract from the Uganda National Roads Authority through a joint venture. Zenitaka Corporation had a 51% share of the deal and Hyundai Engineering and Construction 49%.

The Uganda National Roads Authority awarded the construction contract to the two companies in November 2013. The construction commenced in January 2014 following an official launch by Uganda President Yoweri Museveni in the company of the Japanese Ambassador to Uganda and the regional head of JICA, among other key officials.

The bridge was completed in 2018 and commissioned in November 2018 by the President of Uganda and the State Foreign

Affairs Minister of Japan, among other dignitaries.

The bridge was constructed using multi-strand cables and is, therefore, a cable-stayed bridge. A cable-stayed bridge is designed in a way that the weight of the deck is supported by many diagonal cables which run from one or more towers. The cables or stays form a fan-like pattern. This technology has been used since the 16th Century and has been used in many parts of the world. However, the Nile Source Bridge is the first of this kind in the region. Using cable-stayed technology in construction has its unique advantages. It makes the bridge stiffer and stronger, thereby reducing possible deformations. Besides, since it can be constructed by cantilevering out from the tower, the cables provide short- and long-term support to the deck.

The Jinja Bridge is an enormous structure made of steel and concrete and

bridge is, therefore, important to all the EAC countries using the Northern Corridor

an attractive tourist attraction site. It has 72 cables designed in the form of a harp which connects its deck to two inverted Y-shaped pylon towers measuring 69 metres each.

The Jinja bridge has had numerous positive contributions in Uganda and the entire EAC region. During its construction, it created job opportunities for about 800 people, most of whom were local Ugandans. In a country where the majority are low-income earners, the incomes received from the construction work helped the local households support their families and loved ones. The bridge has also enhanced tourist activities in the country because the design and structure of the bridge itself are iconic and because the Jinja Nile source is a leading touristic site.

The bridge has eased the poor traffic on the old Nalubaale Bridge, which is aging and cannot sustain the heavy transit on the busy Mombasa-Kampala road. Consequently, it has improved the road connectivity between Kenya and Uganda. The bridge significantly boosts regional trade as it links Uganda and the landlocked countries neighbouring it to the biggest port in the region, the Port of Mombasa in Kenya. It is estimated that 82% of Uganda’s import and export cargo passes through the Port of Mombasa. About 95% of this cargo is transported mainly through the Mombasa-Kampala road, which passes through the Jinja Bridge.

Statistics show that the Northern Corridor accounts for 2.22 million tonnes of daily transit traffic. The bridge is, therefore, important to all the EAC countries using the Northern Corridor, including Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Burundi and South Sudan. It, therefore, is a significant factor in boosting the economic integration of the EAC member states. The bridge has an estimated lifespan of 120 years.

Standards of road infrastructure in South Sudan

Given the status of the roads and the extremely low population density of about 18 inhabitants per km2, accessing remote parts of the country is difficult.

By Clive Olero

South Sudan is the youngest state in East Africa and Africa, having received independence in 2011. The country has had decades of civil wars, which have inhibited its ability to develop transport infrastructure to the detriment of its population.

Approximately 80% of South Sudanese live in rural areas and have been affected by perpetual internal conflicts. The conflicts have destroyed the few existing infrastructural facilities, making it even worse for the economy. The country has the poorest road infrastructure connectivity in the region.

South Sudan covers a distance of approximately 645,000km of land with a population of about 11.3 million people, most of whom live below the poverty line. As of 2011, the country had about 5,500km of main roads and about 7500km

of secondary roads, most of which were unpaved and in terrible states.

According to WorldData, the country has a total length of 90,200km of roads and highways today. Given the status of the roads and the extremely low population density of about 18 inhabitants per km2, accessing remote parts of the country is difficult and dangerous. This denies the rural population access to most services enjoyed by the minority urban population.

South Sudan’s road infrastructure is also one of the most dangerous in the world, with an average of about 3623 traffic deaths annually between 20122019. According to this statistic, South Sudan lags behind the rest of its peers in the EAC region. Road infrastructure is critical to the development of the economy as it allows faster transport of goods to and from the market, improves

access to social amenities and services, and creates employment opportunities for the local population. With the poor road infrastructure, South Sudan is yet to enjoy the full benefits of EAC economic integration.

Given the long history of civil war and internal conflicts, some leading issues affecting road infrastructure development are land ownership, displacement of persons, and re-settlement and reintegration of IDPs. Communities in South Sudan live in constant fear of war and internal conflicts and, therefore, cannot access social services nor participate in economic activities freely.

Building a peaceful co-existence among communities is therefore critical to improving road infrastructure standards. Otherwise, as long as most of the population continues to be marginalized, it is difficult to develop road

The mega project under construction. The bridge is one of the biggest in Africa, and the most iconic in Uganda.

Pedestrians walk across the Jinja Bridge upon its launch.

infrastructure.

Major road projects have been initiated in South Sudan in the recent past. One notable project is the Juba-Rumbek highway, whose contract was awarded to a Chinese firm Shandong Hi-Speed Group Company Ltd (SDHS), in 2019. However, in 2020, the government halted the construction of the road after heavy rains damaged and swept a section of the road.

An announcement by the Vice President of South Sudan raised quality concerns. In 2021, the government cleared the company to redesign and resume road construction. The redesigned 392km road has 11 modern standard bridges, 300 pipeline culverts, 35 box culverts and 21 viaducts.

Construction of the $713.53 million road project is ongoing, with tarmacking of the 63km Juba-Terereka section complete. The road is also expected to connect to Ramshel, the proposed new capital of South Sudan. As part of SDHS’s social responsibility, the firm has built several feeder roads, a secondary school in Lodu, a health center in Terereka and several boreholes. Businesses and settlements have also expanded in the region, improving the economy. The Juba-Rumbek highway will also connect Central Equatoria state and Juba to other states.

Other road projects contracted include Juba-Nimule, Juba-Bor-Malakal, JubaYei-Kaya, Juba-Bhar el Ghazel-Unity, and Juba-Torit-Kapoeta-Nadapal. $112 million has been approved for road infrastructural development in the fiscal year 2021/ 2022. In addition, the government allocated about $900,000

Women Fundis in Construction Conference held in Nairobi

The inaugural conference was meant to congregate women technicians in all fields and positions within the construction industry and providing a forum for them to network, learn and share ideas.

By Fred Ndung’u

November 4, 2022 was a remarkable day for women fundis in Kenya. The fundis (technicians & craftswomen) gathered at a Nairobi Hotel in an inaugural conference, Women Fundis in Construction Conference (WFiCC) that was meant to congregate women fundis in all fields and positions within the construction industry and providing a forum for them to network, learn and share ideas.

Additionally, the meeting provided professional development sessions for the women through panel sessions that shared experiences with successful women fundis who started from scratch and have now moved to great heights of success in their chosen fields in the building and construction industry

to construct roads connecting Gambela to Paloch and Dima to Bor. Upon completion, the road will connect the country to its neighbor Ethiopia and improve international trade between the two countries.

Other multinational road projects include two link roads connecting Kenya to South Sudan. The two roads are the 142km section linking Lokichar to Morpus and the 55km one linking Kitale to Lesseru and are part of the corridor

connecting Eldoret to Juba through Kitale, Lodwar, Nadapal and Kapoeta. The roads, funded by the African Development Bank, World Bank and the respective governments, will also have a fibre-optic cable to improve communication between the two countries. The roads are enhancing the transport of food and pharmaceutical products from Kenya to South Sudan and integration between South Sudan and the rest of the EAC member states.

Organized by Buildher, under the adage maxim Lead, Build & Champion, the event attracted hundreds of women with its theme being ‘Lead Yourself, Build Your Network & Champion Inclusivity in the Sector’. It was supported by development partners and others from the Building & Construction (B&C) industry and notably by Buiderher’s main partners who included the German cooperation, giz, E4D, Global innovation Fund Vitol Foundation and Google.org. The WFiCC attracted fundi artisans, contractors, suppliers and civil society organizations among other cadre of participants.

Buildher CEO & Co-founder Tatu Gatere explained that over 300 women were invited to the event, that was awash with the women fundis, and which had taken her and her team and partners three-and-a–half years to organize.

“We are committed to providing platforms for women artisans to continually assess their own development and push the industry forward,” Gatere

explains in a bulletin from Buildher.

Founded in 2018 with a vision to work to see women across Kenya actively contribute towards urban development and to create safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities & to promote urban development with women for women and by women; and a mission to equip women in Kenya with accredited construction & manufacturing skills leading to greater financial prosperity, changing male attitude and promoting gender equality within the construction industry, the donor-funded body equips disadvantaged young women from Nairobi informal settlements with accredited construction skills for better financial prosperity and to promote gender equality in the construction industry.

Essentially, Buildher exclusively recruits the young women and offers a rigorous 12 months training that includes internship/ attachment in different building craft courses. Notably, Buildher’s 12-month vocational training program comprises a four-month workshop component and eight-month employment training component which prepares women for careers in a male-dominated sector, while supplying employers with high-quality talent.

Buildher’s approach addresses the socio-economic barriers keeping women from accessing vocational training opportunities in the first place. The approach further seeks to bridge softskill gaps created by historic inequities to promote professional success and ensures

As of 2011, the country had about 5,500km of main roads and about 7500km of secondary roads.

South Sudan, the newest nation in Africa, still has large tracks of underdeveloped roads. The country is rebuilding its road network through collaboration with development partners.

A female construction worker. Few women, as compared to men, have taken u construction jobs. The event sought to celebrate and attract more women to the industry.

that employers have female-friendly workplace practices and policies.

Recruits to its programs must ideally be between 18 and 35 years though it has also trained outstanding 17 years old and women up to 40 years who are eager to join the construction sector employment. Its recruits are often mothers and frequently single parents and at times married women with incomes below USD$ 3.10 (about Ksh381) per day which doesn’t reflect to a 2-3 days job. Moreover, its beneficiaries are women who have had or have challenges accessing education and training and who are often deemed semi-educated. Further, it recruits a smaller percentage of college graduates who have failed to get job and related opportunities.

Notably, Buildher prepares the women for jobs in the construction sector under four pillars namely accredited construction skills training; life skills development; women & family support and advocacy.

At the WFiCC, among those who shared their experiences and lessons in the fundis’ journey included Beatrice Kiniti, founder of Furniture Art Kenya; Lynn Wambui, founder & creative director of Santana Africa; Nancy Wambugu, founder & MD of Salque Ventures Ltd; Patricia Muthoni, owner of Patini Glassmart; Schola Musili, founder of Flair

make better decisions for their families and communities. This is a new chapter for Buildher and we’re acknowledging that our efforts are bearing fruits,” Gatere affirmed.

Private investors swoop into rented residential and retail properties

Paints Kenya, and Sipporah Mwangi, cofounder of Flex Construction Solutions.

Buildher artisans & alumni who shared their journey lessons and experiences in fighting and challenging the biases and limitations in the industry and who have eventually positioned themselves for success despite all the odds were Doreen Mugwaneza, Flora Oluwaya, Hanna Njoki, Jackline Gathoni, Mary O Ouma, Mercy Ngonyo and Qadra Hassan.

At the conference, Gatere affirmed that hundreds of women artisans have been trained and empowered, creating a good visibility for women fundis. “We have taken action for structural change in Society enabling many of the women fundis and others to focus less on fighting biases and limitations and instead concentrate on working and developing their skills,” Gatere affirmed.

“Our initiatives and efforts are about building a community of artisans who are allies and supporters to each other and who can build their personal and communities’ skills and ability to live well,” she affirmed.

“Through our training at Buildher, we bridge skilled labor shortage gaps, build financial stability of the women fundis and empower them for sustainable labor capacity. We provide the women with tools and even resources for better life, better families and even the ability to

Other speakers at the event included Architect Juliet Kabere; National Construction Authority (NCA) Director General’s representative Eng. Morris Aketch; Leonard Mwiti from the Nairobi City County & Nairobi City County Deputy Governor James Njoroge Muchiri; Kisumu County Governor’s wife Dorothy Nyong’o; Agnes Ayacko (wife of Migori Senator); Emily Nyaribo Nyagarama (Wife of former Nyamira County Governor) and Alamitu Guyo Yatani (wife of Marsabit county Governor and chair of First Ladies Association) among others. Of particular interest were Architect Kabare’s remarks. In reflections, she said that her architecture class, many years ago at the University of Nairobi had only 7 women students. “Those days, many years ago, it was very difficult to attain 10 female students in Building & Construction (B&C) & engineering courses including architecture in colleges and universities,” she said.

Eng. Aketch appreciated Buildher for its efforts to break barriers against women especially in the B&C industry. He also outlined the journey leading to formation of the NCA noting the B&C and engineering sectors are today very vibrant sectors which are critical for the country’s economic growth & development.

“Our country’s B&C industry is vibrant and resilient with its resilience very evident during the worst Covid-19 phases. The industry continues to provide many and great job and related opportunities including for women,” he said.

“As NCA, we promise our support and partnership to Buildher to facilitate more women at building sites. We shall also partner to tackle the challenges resulting from non-inclusivity and gender imbalances at construction sites which persist to date” Aketch averred.

According to him, attaining gender inclusivity at building sites and all spheres of Society must involve all people including men. “We must change the collective cultures that are against women everywhere in Society,” he avowed.

In terms of portfolio balance, property and bonds accounted for 66 percent of Kenyan HNWI’s holdings in 2022, while only 18 percent of their assets were held in stock market equities and just 5 percent in venture capital.

By Ben Oduor

High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) in Kenya made some of the best returns of the world’s HNWIs in 2022 as they ramped up investments in rented residential and retail properties and reduced their positions in industrial property and development land, according to the 2023 attitudes survey issued early March with Knight Frank’s annual Wealth Report. Kenyan HNWIs have held a greater proportion of their investment portfolios in property and bonds than is the norm globally.

In 2022, as energy prices and inflation rocked markets worldwide, many moved to increase those positions, with the proportion of HNWIs owning private

rented property rising from 44 percent to 70 percent, and the proportion owning retail properties rising from 41 percent in 2021 to 70 percent in 2022.

At the same time, only 25 percent of the wealth managers for Kenyan HNWIs reported their clients remained invested in logistics and industrial properties, compared with 44 percent a year earlier.

Mark Dunford, CEO Knight Frank Kenya, said: “The attitudes survey revealed a sharp portfolio shift in Kenya and Africa towards domestic markets, during this time of global turmoil.

With Kenyan HNWIs also tending to hold a far higher proportion of their wealth in property and bonds than the global average for HNWIs. This is playing a critical role in social provision, funding

government borrowing and driving the growth of low-cost housing schemes, rented homes, shops, food (through agricultural investments), healthcare and education development.”

In terms of portfolio balance, property and bonds accounted for 66 percent of Kenyan HNWI’s holdings in 2022, while only 18 percent of their assets were held in stock market equities and just 5 percent in venture capital. This contrasted with a global position, where HNWIs worldwide held an average of 26 percent of their assets in stock markets in 2022, and 9 percent in venture capital and private equity.

Kenyan wealth managers also reported that private rented property, likewise, dominated their clients’ investment plans for the year ahead, with 60 percent planning to invest in private rentals, followed by 50 percent in retail. Liam Bailey, Global Head of Research and Editor-in-Chief of The Wealth Report at Knight Frank, said: “The property balance in Africa and Kenya’s portfolio mix, and the reduced exposure to equities and venture capital, served in 2022 to make African investments far more resilient, in sectors that were not immediately impacted through reduced profits from the surges in energy prices, and input inflation. As a result, nearly two-thirds of Kenyan and African HNWIs increased their wealth in 2022, compared with only 40 percent of global HNWIs.”

Kenya’s wealthy concentrate their investments in Africa

Kenya’s wealthy fared better than the wealthy anywhere else in the world during the economic turmoil of 2022,

retreating from international citizenships and foreign property in favour of Kenya and Africa as safe havens, according to the attitudes survey published in Knight Frank’s annual Wealth Report.

The world’s Ultra-High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) saw their fortunes slashed globally by 10 percent last year on a cocktail of post-pandemic property price falls, soaring energy prices, falling stock markets, and surging inflation and interest rates.

The wealthy in Europe were by far the hardest hit, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, suffering a fall of 17.3 percent in their fortunes. However, Africa’s UHNWIs

saw the lowest losses, recording an overall drop of just 5 percent.

Knight Frank’s Attitudes Survey of wealth managers also found that next to only Australasia, Africa delivered the highest proportion of clients who increased their wealth in 2022, at 64 percent, compared with the global average of 40 percent, and just 24 percent in the Americas.

Liam Bailey, Global Head of Research and Editor-in-Chief of The Wealth Report at Knight Frank, said: “Nowhere in the world was immune from last year’s inflationary trends, or geopolitical risks. However, with the wealthy in Kenya and

ConstructionsDigest

Africa less exposed to overseas property holdings and equity markets than HNWIs globally, their assets proved more resilient to the global disruption.”

At the beginning of 2022, wealth managers reported that about 19 percent of the property portfolios owned by Kenyan HNWIs were held overseas, compared with an average of 32 percent of overseas holdings by HNWIs globally. In the year since, Kenyan HNWI’s overseas holdings have fallen further, to 11 percent, as they have actively exited foreign property markets.

Kenyan HNWIs favourite options for second home purchasing also shifted. Kenya remained the most popular choice, named as one of the top 5 locations by 60 percent of HNWIs, followed by the UK by 50 percent and US by 40 percent. Canada also increased in popularity, with 25 percent of the HNWIs including it in their top 5 locations. But, European locations Sweden, Denmark and Monaco disappeared from Kenyan HNWI’s top choices, while Egypt and Tanzania emerged as new entrants.

Mark Dunford, CEO Knight Frank Kenya, said: “In this general pivot away from international exposure and towards investment in Kenya and Africa, Kenya’s HNWIs are also the most optimistic in the world, with 50 percent expecting their wealth to increase by more than 10 percent in 2023. This compares with just 21 percent of global HNWIs expecting rises of the same level.”

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Plan and Build better with The East African Constructions Digest. With the realization that infrastructure development is a key driver for progress across the African continent and a critical enabler for productivity and sustainable economic growth, The East African Constructions Digest has come in handy to highlight the emerging trends and developments in the building and constructions industry.

Our by-monthly magazines produce in-depth, highly researched and factual news on trends and developments in the building and constructions industry across the six East African countries- Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

The magazine targets members of relevant associations, government bodies, agencies, and other personnel in the building and construction industry- from suppliers of products and materials, to producers, contractors, project managers, property and real estate developers and developers of mega infrastructure projects.

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