Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has confirmed that over 550,000 Kenyans have applied for Affordable Housing units through the Boma Yangu Portal, marking a significant milestone in President William Ruto’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The Affordable Housing Program (AHP), a key pillar of this agenda, is not only aimed at increasing access to home ownership but also creating jobs and improving security through decent living conditions.
During the Mashujaa Day celebrations, themed around Affordable Housing, President Ruto highlighted the importance of the program in transforming Kenya’s housing sector.
“The Affordable Housing Programme is one of our flagship initiatives under the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda.” He stated.
“We are building homes for our people, creating jobs, and boosting local manufacturing. This is more than just housing; it’s about empowerment.” The President added.
President Ruto also announced that the government had set aside Ksh.4.4 billion to pay Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) involved in supplying goods and services for the housing projects.
“To facilitate this, the government has allocated Ksh.4.4 billion specifically for payments to MSMEs supplying goods and services under the program. Our collaboration with the Jua Kali sector has demonstrated the Affordable Housing Program’s significant potential to transform local manufacturing,” Ruto said.
The Head of State praised the impact of local partnerships, citing the example of Soweto Highrise Fabricators and Woodworkers Association in Kibera, which secured a Ksh.720 million contract to fabricate construction materials.
“The success of involving worker cooperatives and artisans has strengthened our commitment to supporting local businesses,” he added.
CS Wahome has emphasized the urgent need to address Kenya’s housing deficit, which stands at 2 million units.
“We require to build at least 200,000 units per year to meet the deficit. This program is not just about housing; it’s about creating jobs and ensuring our citizens live in dignity,” CS Wahome noted.
In line with this, the Affordable Housing Programme has already created over 160,000 jobs across the housing value chain, with plans to increase female participation from the current 20% to 30%.
Looking ahead, President Ruto revealed that the government will hand over 1,080 studio units at the Mukuru Meteorological Site in Nairobi by December 2024. These units will come with affordable mortgages priced at just Ksh.3,200 per month.
“The revolutionary dimension of this milestone is that, finally, mortgages will no longer be the vocabulary of a lucky few but an accessible, feasible, and convenient instrument of bottom-up empowerment,” Ruto declared.
As the Affordable Housing Programme continues to make strides, it promises not only to reduce the housing deficit but also to empower local communities, create jobs, and make home ownership a reality for many Kenyans.
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