Mukuru residents set to move into new affordable homes by December 2024

According to Benjamin Kahura Njenga, Secretary for Urban Development at the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, the first five blocks of bedsitters will be ready for handover by year-end. Priority will be given to current Mukuru residents as part of a broader effort to reduce slum housing in the area.

“The Mukuru project is the largest affordable housing initiative currently underway in Kenya, spanning 56 acres and delivering 13,248 housing units. It underscores the government's commitment to providing decent housing for all,” said Maina.

The project site, reclaimed from private developers by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in 2020, will feature 26 blocks of bedsitters, 14 blocks of one-bedroom units, and 14 blocks of two-bedroom units. Construction, which began in March 2023, has faced some delays, but the entire development is expected to be completed by 2026.

“We are slightly behind schedule, but contractors are now back on track. We expect to hand over the first five blocks of bedsitters by December 2024. This project is vital to improving living conditions for Mukuru residents and transforming informal settlements,” Maina added.

The homes will be offered under an affordable rent-to-own model, with residents paying Ksh.3,000 per month for bedsitters, Ksh.4,000 for one-bedroom units, and Ksh.5,000 for two-bedroom units over a 30-year period. The total project cost exceeds Ksh 7 billion, funded through the Housing Levy Fund.

In addition to providing housing, the project has created employment for 3,000 workers on-site, a number expected to increase as construction progresses.

“On any given day, we have over 3,000 workers on-site, and this number will grow as we enter the next development phases,” Maina noted.

The Mukuru development is part of the government's wider affordable housing strategy, aiming to deliver over 100,000 units nationwide.

“In Nairobi, we have ongoing projects in areas like Starehe and Kibra. Nationally, projects are progressing in Thika, Ruiru, and Kikuyu. Our goal is to address the housing shortage in both urban and rural areas,” Maina explained.