The Zambia Institute of Architects (ZIA) has warned of punitive measures against illegal architects who are exposing the public to grave risks through poorly built infrastructure.
To cement the warning, ZIA has partnered with the Zambia police to prosecute illegal architecture practicing without a valid license to bring sanity to the profession.
ZIA president, Musunka Silungwe, highlighted that the absence of architectural and professional oversight not only endangers lives but also risks significant financial investments.
Silungwe said this at a media briefing in Lusaka at Southern Sun hotel.
“Illegal practitioners, whether they are unregistered individuals or developers, lack this duty of care and undermine the architectural profession while exposing the public to grave risks.
“ZIA is fully aware that other professional bodies in the built environment such as engineers, quantity surveyors and planners are facing similar challenges.
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“This council is committed to working closely with these allied professions to put an end to the illegal practice of architecture.
“Time is now up for illegalities and take this as a warning that we intend to implement without fail,” he said.
Silungwe called on the public to engage professional architects when building to increase the value of their property.
He expressed optimism that this would assist ZIA’s efforts to combat illegal practitioners across the country with the help of law enforcement agencies.
According to Silungwe, registered architects carried out third party duty of care, meaning that they were legally and ethically bound to protect the interests of the public by ensuring safety, compliance and quality in every project.
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