The Mountain Journal
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has challenged African countries to emulate Kenya’s affordable housing program that targets providing dignified living places in urban places across the country.
The DP said Kenya has made great strides in upgrading settlements for millions of citizens through the Affordable Housing Programme that is under implementation by President Ruto’s administration.
“We are inviting you to see what you can learn from our affordable housing model as you seek to implement your own models,” DP noted.
The Deputy President spoke on Friday when he graced the closing ceremony of the 2nd Africa Urban Forum at KICC, Nairobi.
“Kenya has made its choice. We have chosen action. We invite the continent to move with the same urgency, the same clarity, and the same commitment,” DP added.
While noting the progress in the housing project, the DP said it had been realized through boldness and determination and warding off stiff opposition.
He said the country had waited for affordable houses since 2002 but previous administrations did not follow up on their promises because of the challenges involved.
For the five election cycles since 2022, every party that won the elections and the runners up promised affordable housing in their manifesto. But they did not implement it because of the challenges that came with it.
“In 2022, President Ruto decided that time had come to implement the housing agenda and face the political challenges that came with this decision,” he said.
He noted the successes that have so far been realized from the programme including having 270, 000 homes nearing completion.
“The next milestone which we will achieve shortly is reaching 1 million homes under this project. We have also provided gainful employment to 600, 000 Kenyans who were jobless in 2022. The next milestone will be written when we reach 1 million youth,” DP stated.
The DP noted that contracts worth over 5 billion dollars had been entered into with 800 contractors who are leading implementation of the housing programme. Prof. Kindiki said among the 800 contractors, 799 contractors are Kenyan-owned firms.
“Kenya’s affordable housing project will continue and we hope under President Ruto we will be able to cushion the programme from policy disruption which is common in developing countries,” he said.
Further, the DP challenged African countries to follow through the commitments captured in the Nairobi Declaration during the Urban Forum saying it should not be just any other forum.
“The commitments made must translate into projects delivered, units constructed and lives improved. This will require governments to act and to strengthen enabling environments, streamline approvals, and ensure that policy supports delivery at scale,” he noted.
