President William Ruto has issued new directives aimed at accelerating the Affordable Housing Programme by involving more private companies and skilled professionals.
Speaking on Tuesday, July 15, during the launch of the Affordable Housing Internship Programme at State House in Nairobi, Ruto emphasized the importance of bringing in more private sector partners to speed up the construction of housing units and meet growing national demand.
The President noted that when the programme began, only a small number of groups—around 39 consortiums—were involved.
However, with the increasing scale and pressure on the programme, he said it was now necessary to increase the number of participating firms to at least 60 or 70. These will include engineering firms, architectural companies, design specialists, and real estate professionals.
Ruto acknowledged that the original team managing the housing programme was overwhelmed by the size of the project. He pointed out that what started as a few players is no longer enough to meet the project’s needs.
The aim is to deliver affordable housing to Kenyans while also creating jobs across the country. For this reason, expanding the number of contributors is no longer optional—it has become a crucial step to keep the programme alive and progressing.
“The Ministry will immediately begin the process of onboarding new stakeholders who are willing to be part of this national housing plan,” Ruto stated. “We now have a clearer roadmap for job creation than ever before, and affordable housing plays a major role in that strategy.”
In addition to involving more companies, the President unveiled plans to strengthen the technical workforce behind the housing projects. As part of this, the government will bring in 4,000 young graduates from TVET institutions and universities to participate in the programme.
These young professionals will be placed in the private companies working on affordable housing, where they will gain practical experience. The arrangement will follow a well-structured supervision model to ensure quality training and skill development.
Ruto further directed the participating firms to provide mentorship and close monitoring of the interns, while the government develops a support system to ensure accountability and smooth implementation.
Tying the initiative to his campaign promises, Ruto reminded Kenyans that job creation, especially for the youth, was one of his main commitments.
He said that the Affordable Housing project had already created employment for 320,000 Kenyans. With the introduction of a second shift work system and more rapid construction, the government hopes to double that number to over 600,000 jobs.
To make housing more accessible, the President also announced a reduction in the initial deposit required to purchase affordable housing units—from 10% down to 5%. This move is expected to make it easier for more Kenyans, especially those in low and middle-income brackets, to buy homes.
Moreover, new laws introduced under the Affordable Housing Regulations, 2024, have laid out a clear and fair legal framework to ensure that the allocation of homes is inclusive and transparent. The new rules are designed to benefit all income groups, reinforcing the goal of affordable housing for every Kenyan.
The Affordable Housing Programme remains a key pillar of Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), aimed at uplifting the lives of ordinary citizens through job creation, access to housing, and sustainable development.
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