Overview of the Ministry

The Ministry of Public Works is charged with the responsibility of planning, designing, construction and maintenance of Government Assets in the field of built environment and infrastructure development. Assets in built environment include hospitals, schools, colleges, technical institutes, prisons and courts. Assets in infrastructure development include footbridges, sea walls, breakwaters and jetties.

The Ministry sustains and preserves these assets through a well-developed system of maintenance which includes among others, specialized services like rehabilitation works, aesthetic treatments like interiors, lighting, landscaping, etc.

The goal of the Ministry is to ensure that projects that are funded with taxpayers’ money benefit the entire community. This includes making sure construction projects are necessary and sustainable, built on time and provide leadership and policy direction in the construction sector.

The mission of the Ministry is “to facilitate provision, construction and maintenance of quality buildings and other public works for sustainable social-economic development”. The Ministry is committed to maintain and improve the country’s infrastructure to meet the goals of Vision 2030, while serving the on-going needs of all our stakeholders.

Mandate

As a key operational arm of Government, the Ministry’s mandate and functions are as follows:-
•    Public Works Policy formulation
•    Public Works Planning
•    Development and Maintenance of Public Buildings
•    Maintenance of Inventory of Government Property
•    Provision of Mechanical and Electrical (Building) Services
•    Coordination and procurement of common-user items by Government Ministries
•    Kenya Building Research Center
•    Registration of Contractors and Material Suppliers
•    Registration of Civil, Building and Electromechanical Contractors
•    Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors
•    Supplies Branch.

The Ministry is initiating legal reforms that will give birth to a strong, competitive construction industry that will secure and guarantee quality infrastructure and contribute to social-economic development of Kenya through an open consultative process.

Building Departments

The major function of the building departments is designing documentation and supervision of the construction and maintenance of government buildings projects. The building departments work in collaboration with consultancy services for building works and in the process assists in the attainment of Ministry objectives.

These departments are also charged with the responsibility of advising the government on building matters, setting and maintenance of standards of public buildings. These responsibilities are also extended to other government institutions.

Architectural Department

The department is responsible for rendering services that are required to obtain the client’s accommodation requirements, translate these into building designs and then carries out the construction and subsequent maintenance of the buildings by advising on standards of design and construction of government buildings and providing client ministries with estimates of buildings and structural works.

Electrical & Mechanical Department

The mandate of the department is to design, supervise and maintain Electrical/Electronic and Mechanical Engineering services in Public Buildings and Institutions. These include installation and maintenance of lifts and elevators, PABX, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), refrigeration services, fire protection services, among others.

Structural Department

The Structural department is responsible for the design, documentation, supervision of structural and Civil Engineering components in all Government buildings and institutions. It is also responsible for design and construction of sea protection works, jetties, seawalls and breakwaters and gives structural advice on major structures and other buildings in the country. It also constructs footbridges across the country.

Quantities and Contracts Department

The Department prepares approximate and/or detailed estimates for building/construction projects for purposes of forward budgets, works programme, prepares valuations for interim payment certificates and final accounts and advices other Ministries and Government Departments on matters relating to Building Construction Contracts in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Chambers. It is also charged with the registration of contractors.

Kenya Building Research Centre

The Kenya Building Research Centre is responsible for dissemination of information relating to the building construction industry and carrying out research on building materials and systems to facilitate availability of innovative and cost effective building materials and technologies.

County and District Works Offices

At the regional level, the Ministry has County and District Works Offices which are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all the projects and programmes are implemented on time and also bringing the Ministry’s services closer to the people at the grassroots.

Administration Departments

The Administration department provides support and administrative services to the Ministry to enable it to discharge its functions efficiently. The department is responsible for economic planning, Ministerial project monitoring and evaluation, accounting functions, financial planning, staff management, human resource development, governance and risk management, procurement, provision of ICT services to the Ministry and also acts as the link between the Ministry and its key stakeholders.

The Department comprises of the following sections, Central Planning and Project Monitoring Unit, Finance, Accounts, Internal Audit, Human Resource Management Development, Procurement, Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Public Communications.

Supplies Branch

The Supplies Branch with support from Treasury is the Department charged with the procurement of common user items and annual term contracts for all governments Ministries, Departments and Agencies. It helps in increasing efficiency in the use of government resources.