The first phase of the Affordable Housing Programme is complete, with units ready for occupation.
The first project under the programme, Park Road in Ngara, with a total of 1,370 homes, is nearing completion.
Already, the first phase with 228 units has been finalised. The next 400 units are expected to be ready in June while the final phase will be ready by the end of the year.
Provision of affordable housing is one of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy projects under the “Big Four Agenda”. In the plan, the government hopes to construct 500,000 units by 2022.
PARTNERSHIPS
Transport, Infrastructure and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said other housing projects will soon be completed.
The Pangani venture, which targets 3,000 homes for civil servants, is being carried out through a partnership between the government, Nairobi County government and TechnoFin Kenya Ltd, a private developer.
Other projects in Jevanjee Gardens, Starehe, Shauri Moyo and Kibera Soweto Zone B will deliver 1,600, 8,000 and 4,400 units, respectively.
Construction of the Kibera homes will start by June. Mr Macharia said the government had signed agreements for 127,000 units with partners to fast-track the programme.
HOME OWNERSHIP
The government also plans to build 4,500 homes under the Civil Servants Housing Scheme. And in partnership with the counties, the government will construct 209,000 units.
Statistics from the 2019 Kenya National Population and Housing Census show that 7.3 million Kenyans live in their own homes.
The data also shows that only 171,000 Kenyans are housed by the national and county governments. At 278,000 homes, private companies provide shelter to about 106,000 more people than the government.
Kenyans hoping to own homes under the government scheme are required to register on the online portal www.Bomayanngu.go.ke.
Only those who have registered will be eligible to purchase homes under the AHP, Mr Macharia said.