Phase one of the Nairobi government’s Sh300 billion project to replace old houses in the city will begin in July, City Hall announced yesterday.
The public-private partnership involves building 100,000 housing units. Some 14,000 units will be developed in seven estates during the first phase.
Housing executive Tom Odongo said the units will be put up in Old and New Ngara, Pangani, Jeevanjee-Bachelors, Ngong Road Inspectorate staff quarters, Uhuru and Suna Road.
“These houses are very old and were constructed horizontally, occupying a lot of space,” he said.
Old houses in the estates will be demolished and redeveloped to accommodate more tenants. Late last year, Governor Evans Kidero said there are only 535 houses in the seven estates targeted.
"There is a lot of space; about 60 acres. We will use the space to construct 15-floor flats. We will relocate them before demolishing the old structures,” he said.
Odongo said occupants will be able to buy or rent the new units at a concessionary rate. He assured residents that no one will be displaced.
“Nairobi county cannot and will not evict or forcibly remove tenants from their houses. What the county government is simply doing is increasing housing provision without interfering with the occupation of existing tenants,” Odongo said.
County Housing director Marion Rono said the second phase will begin immediately the first phase is complete. It will target the larger Eastlands areas including Bahati, Mbotela, Ziwani, Makongeni, Kaloleni, Jericho and Shauri Moyo estates.
At least 100,000 new housing units will be built during the second phase. The housing shortage in Nairobi has been termed acute. A research conducted by the African Development Bank in 2013 showed that more than 60 per cent of residents live in informal settlements.
On average, five to seven people share a single room in the slums.