The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has called for the full digitization of engineering approvals across counties and the national government, saying it will help curb corruption and improve accountability in infrastructure development.
Speaking at the event during Devolution Conference in Homa Bay, IEK President Eng. Shammah Kiteme said manual approval processes have left loopholes that fuel delays, irregular approvals, and malpractice in the sector.
“Digital platforms will not only speed up approvals but also strengthen transparency and eliminate opportunities for corruption,” Kiteme said.
The event, attended by policymakers, engineers, ICT experts, and county leaders, explored how digital systems can bring greater accountability to governance. Participants noted that by automating project approvals, officials will have less room to manipulate or delay processes.
IEK First Vice President Christine Ogut emphasized that digital transformation requires proper budgeting and planning to ensure systems are equitable and sustainable. “If services move online, they must be accessible to everyone. That is how you ensure fairness in service delivery,” she said.
She also warned that cybersecurity risks remain a major challenge and urged both counties and the national government to invest in system resilience, redundancy, and secure data management.
“When you go digital, you must prepare for attempted breaches and downtime. Strong security frameworks are a necessity,” Ogut added.
Stakeholders stressed that building interoperable systems that link counties with national agencies such as Kenya Revenue Authority and insurance regulators will further strengthen oversight.
Such systems, they argued, will allow the public to verify compliance in real time, ensuring that only properly approved projects move forward.
IEK said that adopting these digital reforms would close gaps that have long slowed down infrastructure delivery, cut opportunities for malpractice, and promote cleaner governance in project approvals.
