President
William Ruto has said that the government will reserve 20 per cent of the affordable housing units for
members of the disciplined forces.
Ruto was speaking during the opening of the Central Bank of Kenya police Housing Complex in the Industrial Area in Nairobi County on Tuesday.
"We will reserve 20 per cent of our
housing units under the Affordable Housing Programme for members of the Kenya
Defence Forces, the National Police Service, the National Youth Service and the
Kenya Prisons Service,’’ he said.
"These disciplined officers will benefit from single-digit interest rate credit facilities as low as three per cent a year to grow the number of home owners," Ruto said.
The houses comprise 200 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom
apartments.
According to Ruto, the fully-furnished
units provide dignified and decent homes for police officers assigned to the
Central Bank of Kenya.
Ruto, in January 2023, while speaking to
Nyeri residents, said the move to prioritise affordable houses for police
officers is in connection with
improving their welfare and working conditions.
"This will go a long way in delivering our pledge to
address the housing shortage facing members of the police service," he
said.
"It will be more efficient by ensuring their children and families are properly catered for by living in decent, affordable housing."
Beneficiaries have described the project as a significant step toward improving their lives, emphasising that development projects should be allowed to progress without political interference.
"We thank the government for caring about us. This
is a major step toward getting out of slum life. We urge politicians not to
bring politics into development initiatives meant for the ordinary
citizen," one resident said.
On Tuesday, the government announced that 838
affordable housing units are available for sale in six counties in the country.
The
available housing units are in Embu, Homa Bay, Kirinyaga, Bomet, Machakos
and Nanyuki (Laikipia county).
These housing units include studio units,
one-bedroom units, two-bedroom units, and three-bedroom units.
The Affordable Housing Board (AHB) CEO Sheila Waweru has assured the public that the ongoing allocation of housing units
will be carried out in a fair and transparent manner.
“We would also like to emphasise that the units have been built to
the highest possible standards, with all necessary amenities in place,” Waweru said.
