President William Ruto recently addressed concerns regarding the Affordable Housing Programme in Kenya, assuring citizens occupying targeted lands that they will be supported during the transition.
In a statement during a church service in Bahati, Nairobi County, Ruto emphasized the government’s commitment to providing alternatives for affected individuals, stating, “There will be no eviction, every Kenyan will be given somewhere to live as they wait for the houses to be built, that is our job.”
He further outlined the plan to provide financial assistance for renting alternative spaces until the construction of affordable houses is completed.
Ruto highlighted the ambitious goals of the housing initiative, aiming to have 50,000 homes built in Nairobi and initiate the construction of at least 30,000 houses in Makarara by the end of the year.
He expressed the government’s broader vision of ensuring one million homeowners within the next five years to improve living standards across the country.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed emphasized the government’s strategy to foster homeownership among low-income earners by constructing 250,000 houses annually under the program.
Despite earlier legal challenges, the Housing Bill, which establishes the legal framework for the initiative, has now been enacted into law following Ruto’s approval.
As part of funding the housing projects, Kenyan citizens, both employed and self-employed, will be required to contribute 1.5% of their monthly salaries to the Housing Levy.
This move aims to support the financing of affordable housing initiatives and create sustainable solutions for housing challenges in Kenya.
