Engineers to stage peaceful demos in Nairobi over unfair pay, job bias
By Faith Lagat, August 24, 2025The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has announced plans for a peaceful march on August 27, 2025, to demand fair opportunities and dignity for Kenyan engineers.
The demonstration, starting at IEK Offices in Top Plaza, Kindaruma Road, Nairobi, will highlight grievances ranging from unfair pay practices by foreign firms to Kenyan engineers being sidelined after training, while jobs are awarded to foreigners.
“On 27th August 2025, engineers will gather at IEK Offices, Top Plaza, Kindaruma Road, Nairobi, for a peaceful march to demand fair opportunities and dignity for Kenyan engineers,” read an X post by the IEK dated August 24, 2025.
The event, themed “Employment for 10,000 Engineers”, seeks to push for reforms in a sector considered critical to Kenya’s economic growth. Participants will be required to wear a hard hat and a green reflector jacket as a sign of solidarity.
Petition for reforms
The engineers plan to deliver a petition outlining their concerns and proposals. Organisers say the march is anchored on Article 37 of the Constitution and the Public Order Act, underscoring its lawful and peaceful nature.
“This march is not just about engineers but about ensuring fairness and integrity in how we build our nation,” said IEK President Shammah Kiteme.
Corruption in approval system
The march comes against a backdrop of rising frustrations over systemic failures in Nairobi’s development approval processes. In April, IEK raised alarm over what it termed entrenched corruption within the Nairobi City County planning system, which has slowed down projects and undermined engineers’ credibility.
“Professionals have reported instances where development plans are delayed or rejected arbitrarily unless informal payments or favours are rendered,” IEK noted in a statement.
The Nairobi Planning and Development Management System (NPDMS), established to streamline approvals, has instead created inefficiencies, with some applications taking up to a year for clearance. According to IEK, this deliberate bottleneck has forced engineers to engage in bribery to safeguard their professional standing and keep projects moving.
Call for accountability
Kiteme stressed the need for a transparent and efficient system, warning that corruption not only erodes professional integrity but also compromises public safety.
“Engineers must be afforded a safe and transparent development approval process, free from coercion or corruption. The integrity of Kenya’s built environment depends on this very tenet,” he said.
IEK is now calling for a full audit of the approval process, punitive action against corrupt officials, and an overhaul of the digital platform. It has urged Nairobi City County, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and oversight agencies such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to intervene.
As engineers prepare to march, the profession hopes the action will mark a turning point in reclaiming its rightful place in Kenya’s development agenda.