Affordable housing project takes off in Marsabit with 220 units planned
SEBASTIAN MIRITI AND ANTHONY MELLY-KNA
The affordable housing programme has officially commenced in Marsabit County following the handover of a two-acre construction site to a contractor for the development of 220 housing units.
Presiding over the ceremony, Marsabit County Commissioner Stanley Kamande said the Sh670 million project is expected to be completed within 18 months.
The housing project, located in Marsabit town, Saku Constituency, is part of the government’s flagship initiatives under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), aimed at improving living standards for Kenyans.
The Regional Affordable Housing Project Coordinator for Marsabit and Mandera counties, Ahmed Ali, Marsabit Deputy County Secretary Tari Doti, and County Director of Housing David Kori witnessed the handover of the site to Mankos Agency Limited, an event that was welcomed by local residents.
Kamande said the modern housing project will help address the shortage of residential units in Marsabit town while creating employment opportunities, particularly for young people.
Kamande urged the contractor to complete the project within the stipulated timeline and to prioritise the use of local labour and resources so that residents could directly benefit from the project.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to improving the lives of Kenyans by offering an opportunity to own decent shelter in all parts of the country, adding that everything will be done to ensure that the contractor undertakes the work without any hindrance.
According to the Regional Coordinator, the affordable housing project is among many national government development initiatives currently underway in Marsabit County.
Ali said the other ongoing projects in the region include the construction of Sh360 million Sololo students’ hostels; a 340-bed capacity student hostel to serve Saku Vocational Training College at a cost of Sh154 million; a livestock market at Bubisa, North Horr constituency; and a modern retail market in Moyale town.
He added that plans were underway to initiate three more modern housing projects in each of the county’s constituencies of Laisamis, North Horr and Moyale, even as the housing programme continued to gather momentum across the country.
“Every constituency will benefit from the affordable housing programme,” he assured, adding that the county government was keen to see the programme succeeding in the entire Marsabit.