All 1,050 units in Ruiru affordable housing project sold out, State says

The government’s affordable housing plan has scored another milestone after it emerged that all 1,050 units in the Ruiru project were taken up months before completion.

According to the National Assembly's Housing Committee, the Sh1.8 billion project, which sits on government land in the fast-growing satellite town, has already been fully booked ahead of handover.

The team toured the site on Thursday to assess progress.

Emurua Dikir MP and Committee chairperson Johana Ngeno, who led the team, expressed satisfaction with the pace and uptake of the development, saying it reflects the urgent need for housing among Kenyans.

“You can see the project could be completed within the next one or two months. The President will come here to hand over the keys to the occupants, and the units will be occupied,” Ngeno said.

"We were told people bought off-plan. Some Kenyans were asking who would occupy these houses, but they are already sold out. That tells you the demand for houses in this country is on another level.”

This, as he urged the State Department for Housing to secure additional land around Ruiru to replicate the project and accommodate more home-seekers.

“These have been sold out. That means people still need homes in this particular area. We have inspected and are satisfied with the work done so far,” Ngeno added.

Ruiru MP Simon King’ara echoed the remarks, recounting the rush witnessed from prospective buyers during the project launch officiated by President William Ruto.

“When the President came to launch the project, all the three-bedroom houses were bought before he even left the gate. It is as serious as that,” King’ara said.

He further confirmed that all successful buyers are locals from the surrounding areas, easing concerns that residents might be locked out of the programme.

Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a, who accompanied the team, said legislators had closely monitored progress since the President’s launch and commended the contractor for staying on schedule.

“When the President left, we remained the ones monitoring progress. We are satisfied with what we are seeing,” she said.

The Ruiru project forms part of the national plan to deliver over 200,000 affordable units annually. 

It includes a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, access roads, water systems, and supporting social amenities.

President William Ruto broke ground for the construction of the houses on January 19, 2023. The project is located near the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College.

It sits on a land measuring approximately 2.47 Ha (~6,10 acres). The site previously had government pool houses with 37 households that were relocated to pave the way for the redevelopment.

The government says hundreds of similar housing projects are at various stages countrywide, with the Ruiru case expected to serve as a model for rapid uptake. 

The Affordable Housing Programme (AHP), Ruto's signature development blueprint, aims to bridge Kenya’s housing deficit by delivering mass low-cost homes while creating employment and stimulating local industry.

The government plans to put up an estimated 250,000 units annually and create jobs through construction-led economic growth.