Gov’t to release 5,000 Affordable Housing units by April

ANNE KANGERO- KNA 

Plans are underway to release 5,000 affordable housing units to the public by April 2025, Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development, Alice Wahome, has announced.

Wahome stated that the government is preparing the houses for handover and commissioning to provide Kenyans, especially low-income earners, with decent and affordable housing.

She added that 140,000 affordable houses have been constructed so far, with a target of 200,000 units annually and 1 million over the next five years.

“Our mandate as the government is to ensure that Kenyans live in decent houses. The affordable housing program is designed to fulfill the constitutional requirement under Article 43, which mandates the state to provide Kenyans with decent and affordable housing,” Wahome said.

She made these remarks while addressing journalists in Machakos after inspecting 220 affordable housing units in Machakos town, which are 95 per cent complete. Additionally, she encouraged Machakos residents to visit and purchase the houses through the Boma Yangu platform.

The units are tailored for low-income earners, including mama mboga (small-scale vegetable vendors) and boda boda operators, who do not require payslips to own a home.

The payment plan allows Kenyans to acquire their chosen units through a rent-to-own arrangement, with monthly payments ranging from Sh3,000 to Sh7,000 for up to 25 years.

She disclosed that 600,000 Kenyans have already expressed interest in the program, and the government is looking forward to finalizing the process.

Wahome noted that while some Kenyans may not yet fully appreciate the importance of the affordable housing initiative, its release will be a game-changer and will highlight its significance.

The CS urged Kenyans to ignore critics who oppose the affordable housing program, emphasizing that it has created employment opportunities for over 200,000 youths as part of the government’s job creation initiative.

She also dismissed recent remarks by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who accused the government of corruption in the procurement of building materials for the housing project.