Govt Resumes Issuance of Licences After 8-Month Suspension

The National Environment Authority (NEMA) on Tuesday announced the resumption in the issuance of licences for Environmental Assessment Experts.

NEMA had suspended registration of new experts in January 2023, to allow audit of the experts register.

Additionally, NEMA had announced that the suspension would help the authority streamline the registration process to improve the quality of environmental assessments. 

“The Audit process has been concluded and the Authority hereby announces the resumption of the registration process of Environmental Assessment Experts as from 1st of September 2023,” a statement from NEMA read in part.

As such, local and foreign players as well as experts wishing to undertake environmental impact assessment activities in Kenya were encouraged to register through the e-Citizen NEMA portal.

Registered and already practicing experts were asked to subscribe to the Code of Practice and Professional Ethics (COPPE) by December 31, 2023, before renewing their licenses for the year 2024.

“The Authority expects strict adherence to all the requirements stipulated in COPPE by all experts to enhance the quality of Environmental Assessment Studies and reports for Sustainable Development,” the statement outlined.

As such, NEMA revised academic qualifications for all environmental assessment experts (EAE).

Anyone willing to register for the EAE certificate must henceforth have a Degree or Masters in Environmental Sciences or related courses.

“For registration as an Associate Expert, one has to provide proof of undertaking at least one year mentorship programme under a practising lead expert or a firm of experts,” interested candidates were told.

To become a Lead Expert in environmental impact assessment, you must have practised for eight years as an associate expert.

The Ban

While instituting the ban, the Authority announced that an internal audit had revealed that most of the registered experts were no longer in active practice, yet they were still in NEMA’s register.

“Over 12,000 experts have been registered over that time but an audit has revealed less than half of that number is in active practice,” NEMA stated at the time.