The Affordable and Social Housing Agenda is among the key pillars in the Kenya Kwanza coalition manifesto.
President William Ruto, emphasizing the government's dedication to ensuring access to decent and affordable housing for all Kenyans, launched the affordable housing program in Bondeni, Nakuru, on Saturday.
Accompanied by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Water CS Alice Wahome, Housing PS Charles Hinga, and Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika, Ruto visited and interacted with occupants of some completed houses.
He expressed the government's goal to eliminate slums nationwide and highlighted that the housing project has generated employment opportunities for over 3,500 youths in the region.
"It is that 1.5 per cent that you pay that we have used to reduce the mortgage from 20 per cent to six per cent," Ruto said.
"If you went to the open market for a mortgage to buy this house you will pay 20 per cent but now under this programme you are all paying six per cent," he added.
The project has seen the construction of 605 units where 45 will be one-bedrooms, 180 two-bedroom and 380 units three-bedroom.
The Bondeni, Nakuru AHP project is the second project that the Civil Servants Housing Scheme is undertaking as part of its contribution to the affordable housing programme.
On Thursday, was in Nyandarua County where he launched the Nyandarua Affordable Housing Project.
The Head of State said the recently launched Affordable Housing Projects will create an estimated 6,000 direct jobs for the youth and women in construction as well as another 4,000 indirectly.
On Friday, two National Assembly committees lined up meetings to collect views from the public on the Affordable Housing Bill 2023 despite a court order barring the exercise.
Finance and Housing, Urban and Public Works committees will hold meetings with the public in 12 counties for a week.
The High Court in Kisumu last month issued conservatory orders stopping the public participation of the Affordable Housing Bill 2023 pending further directions.
The planned meetings will be held in Machakos, Narok, Uasin Gishu, Meru, Nyeri, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale, Homabay, Kiambu, Bungoma and Nakuru.
"We have finalised all logistics and are ready to receive views from the public. We have over 100 memoranda from the public,” the chairperson of the Finance Committee Kimani Kuria said.
