Kakamega: The Ministry of Roads and Transport has unveiled the Draft Engineering Technology (Registration, Licensing and Compliance) Rules, 2026, a proposed regulatory framework aimed at strengthening the professional practice of engineering technology, enhancing accountability, and safeguarding public safety.
According to Kenya News Agency, the proposed regulations were presented during a public participation forum held at the Kakamega Social Hall, where stakeholders drawn from academia, professional institutions, and the engineering fraternity submitted views on the draft rules before their finalisation. Speaking during the forum, Law Reform Counsel Nadi Mohammed stated that the regulations provide a comprehensive framework governing the registration, licensing, compliance, and regulation of engineering technology professionals under the Engineering Technology Act.
Mohammed noted that the draft rules are intended to promote professionalism, ethical conduct, and accountability while ensuring that only qualified and competent practitioners offer engineering technology services in Kenya. “The rules also enable multi-disciplinary registration, where professionals can register in two or more disciplines if they satisfy the prescribed conditions,” he said.
Under the proposed framework, applicants seeking registration will be required to provide academic qualifications, proof of practical experience where applicable, membership in recognised professional bodies, and other supporting documents. Mohammed said the Kenya Engineering Technology Registration Board (KETRB) will administer professional competence examinations to assess applicants before registration and licensing. He explained that the examinations are intended to ensure practitioners possess the technical knowledge and professional competence required to safeguard public interests.
The regulations further require all registered professionals to renew their practising licenses annually and undertake continuous professional development by earning prescribed training points each year. The mandatory training will include professional ethics, occupational safety, health, and environmental standards to ensure practitioners remain up to date with emerging technologies and industry best practices. The draft rules also strengthen the Code of Conduct and Ethics governing engineering technology professionals.
Practitioners will be expected to uphold integrity, avoid conflicts of interest, maintain high professional standards, and prioritize public safety in the discharge of their duties. In addition, the regulations establish a formal complaints and disciplinary mechanism through which members of the public can report professional misconduct, negligence, fraud, or unlicensed practice. Where violations are established, the Kenya Engineering Technology Registration Board will have powers to issue warnings, suspend licences, cancel registrations, remove practitioners from the register, or impose financial penalties depending on the nature of the offence.
The regulations also outline fees payable for applications, registration, and annual licensing for professionals and firms, while providing procedures for restoring suspended or cancelled licences upon compliance with conditions prescribed by the Board.
The public participation forum attracted engineering graduates, technicians, lecturers, and students from institutions including Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), Sigalagala National Polytechnic, and Kakamega County Polytechnic. Participants welcomed efforts to strengthen professional regulation but raised concerns over several provisions contained in the draft rules.
Some participants questioned how the regulations would address historical concerns affecting graduates of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) programmes, noting that many early graduates had initially been classified as engineering technologists despite pursuing engineering disciplines. An official from the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) explained that the Board now recognises Bachelor of Science programmes in Electrical and Communication Engineering, Production Engineering, Civil and Construction Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Industrial Engineering.
Participants also expressed concern over penalties proposed for late renewal of practising licenses. They argued that unemployed professionals and those unable to practise due to illness should not be subjected to punitive penalties, recommending a system similar to that used by the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), where members clear outstanding subscription fees before renewing their licenses. Others called for lower subscription fees for newly qualified professionals who have not yet secured employment.
Stakeholders also proposed amendments to the complaints and disciplinary mechanism to allow anonymous reporting in order to protect students, junior staff, and artisans from victimisation when reporting professional misconduct. They further recommended granting the Board independent investigative powers to strengthen enforcement and enhance public confidence in the regulatory system.
The Ministry of Roads and Transport said all views collected during the nationwide public participation exercise will be reviewed and incorporated where appropriate before the regulations are submitted for approval and implementation. Officials said the proposed rules are expected to reinforce professionalism, strengthen accountability, improve service delivery, and enhance public confidence in engineering technology practice across the country.
