From Dream to Reality: How affordable housing is transforming lives in Lower Eastern

Optimism is growing across the Lower Eastern region as residents prepare for the Mashujaa Day celebrations and the President’s planned visit.

From Kitui to Makueni, the government’s Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) is drawing increasing interest, offering not only new homes but also access to information, awareness, and a renewed sense of possibility for many Kenyans.

Across exhibition booths and construction sites, residents have been learning how to register for AHP units, understand payment models, and access information directly from the Eastern Region Delivery Unit teams.

What was once perceived as a programme reserved for the affluent is now being seen as an attainable opportunity for ordinary working Kenyans.

 “Mimi nilikuwa nadhani hizi nyumba ni za wakubwa, sasa nimeona hata mimi ninaweza afford,” said Kimotho, a support staff at a local technical college, after visiting the Mashujaa Thematic Exhibition booth in Kitui.

“Kama youth, hapa nikisacrifice sherehe kiasi, naona inaweza,” added Jackson, a trainee at the Teachers Training College.

The excitement has been particularly noticeable among young people.

“Love language yangu ime-shift,” joked a student from the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).

“Mtu akitaka kuniingiza box namtumia paybill ya Affordable Housing — anilipie contribution!”

Her playful comment mirrors a growing mindset, that home ownership is becoming a tangible and even aspirational goal among Kenya’s working youth.

How to Register

Kenyans can sign up for the programme through the official Boma Yangu platform (www.bomayangu.go.ke).

Once registered, applicants can select their preferred project, choose a housing category, and begin making contributions directly via M-Pesa Paybill number 222222, using their national ID number as the account reference.

To secure an allocation, buyers are required to pay a 5% deposit of the selected unit’s price. For instance:

A bedsitter priced at Sh640,000 requires a deposit of Sh32,000, followed by monthly installments of about Sh3,800.

This flexible payment model has attracted low- and middle-income earners, public servants, and young professionals who had previously considered home ownership out of reach.

Economic Impact

Beyond providing affordable housing, the AHP has become a driver of local economic growth. The projects have created employment opportunities for masons, carpenters, food vendors, transporters, and suppliers, contributing to local economies and supporting the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Each construction site now serves as a small economic hub, circulating resources within the counties and stimulating community livelihoods.

Presidential Visit

Ahead of the President’s scheduled visit, ongoing housing projects in Kitui, Wote, and Mwingi Kwa Ngendu are set for inspection.

These developments stand as visible evidence of how national housing policy is taking shape at the community level — translating government plans into real progress for ordinary citizens.