•This will be Ruto's 5th affordable housing project launched this year after Homabay, Ruiru, Kibera and Shauri Moyo.
•Initially, about 300 houses occupied the 24 acres of land that had been occupied by tenants.
Image: Handout
Preparations are underway as President William Ruto is set to ground-break Starehe affordable housing on Monday.
This will be Ruto's 5th affordable housing project launched this year after Homabay, Ruiru, Kibera and Shauri Moyo.
During an inspection tour on Saturday, Gulfcap real estate CEO Chris Ochieng said the development will provide over 6000 housing units.
"The units will range from one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom as well as social houses," he said.
Initially, about 300 houses occupied the 24 acres of land that had been occupied by tenants.
However, the tenants had to relocate to pave way for the development.
The Government through the State Department for Housing and Urban Development has partnered with Gulfcap in its bid to construct 200,000 housing units annually to ease on housing deficit in the Country.
Gulfcap real estate CEO further noted that they have partnered with the youths and women where they will train them so that they acquire the necessary skills in an industry that is predominantly male-dominated.
Sabina Wanjiku from Buildher, an organisation supporting and training women who venture into construction lauded the Kenya Kwanza Government for its continued support towards women in construction saying it will end the discrimination they face in the sector.
She urged fellow women to take advantage of the oppotunities to grow in the industry saying women can even be better than men in the construction indurstry due to their precision.
Early this year, President Ruto said he will work closely with the Nairobi county government and all the other agencies so that at least 3,000 acres can be set aside in order to have between 400,000 and 500,000 housing units.
As of February 2, 2023, there are six ongoing affordable housing projects that are set to produce 31,990 units.
The first project which was launched by President Ruto in October 2022 was Kibra's Soweto B which was his first visit after winning the presidential elections.
According to Housing PS Charles Hinga, Soweto B will be the biggest social housing project undertaken in an informal settlement.
The project is part of the planned upgrade of the slum which has been divided into four zones and is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Housing.
Zone B where 5,000 affordable housing units will be constructed.
A month later, Ruto was in Mukuru kwa Reuben to launch the Sh15 billion project that will see the set up of 15,000 units.
The project has a unique background as the 55 acres of land had been grabbed by cartels before being recovered by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
The land belonged to the Meteorological Department but was grabbed 24 years ago.
Upon recovery, the government turned it into useful public land, where 15,000 affordable housing units will be set up.
The EACC recovered the land that is worth more than Sh5 billion in August 2020.
On January 27, 2023, Ruto presided over the groundbreaking of the Shauri Moyo affordable housing project in Nairobi.
The project site comprises two parcels of land measuring approximately 16 acres, located along First Avenue Eastleigh Road, Nairobi.
The developer, Epco Builders Limited will construct 3,248 housing units at Sh10 billion.
Pangani Housing Project which was being undertaken by the then Nairobi Metropolitan Service is still ongoing and is expected to deliver 1,562 housing units from the land previously occupied by 48 tenants
The government is on course to set up 5,280 units at Clay City, Nairobi, and Sh850 million housing project in Kasarani that will see 284 units constructed.
Construction is ongoing at the Jevanjee estates formally known as Bachelor quarters.
A total of 1,900 units will be developed from land that was previously occupied by 81 houses.
Image: Handout