Around 50, 000 housing units are constructed annually against a demand of 250,000 units, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has stated.
Speaking when he launched the Affordable Housing and Urbanisation Week at Mvindeni Grounds, Diani, Kwale County, Mudavadi said rapid urbanisation and a growing population had made it difficult to guarantee accessible and adequate housing.
“The shortfall reflects the harsh reality many Kenyans face, living in sub-standard conditions without access to essential services, including basic sanitation and security,” he said.
He said the primary goal of the Affordable Housing Programme is to bridge the gap in the housing market.
Mudavadi further stated that Sh4.4 billion in cash has been channelled to the jua kali sector since the onset of Affordable Houses Programme.
He noted that over 124,000 affordable housing units are currently at various stages of completion. “The housing project is touching on many lives apart from providing residence for Kenyans.
Already the Jua Kali sector has received over Sh4 billion through various purchases from those constructing houses, and supporting sectors producing essential housing components like steel doors and windows,” said Mudavadi.
Mudavadi reiterated the government’s commitment to tackling Kenya’s housing deficit. “Our mission is not only to build houses but to uplift communities, create jobs, and establish the foundation for a prosperous future. However, the demand is immense,” he said.
He added that the government is expanding mortgage access from 30,000 to 1,000,000, with monthly payments starting as low as Sh3,000.
Mudavadi further highlighted that more than half of Kenya's population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050. To meet this demand, he said the government is rolling out the second phase of the Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP II) to strengthen urban institutions in 79 municipalities across 45 counties.
He also emphasised the government’s commitment to climate resilience, pointing to the Building Climate Resilience for the Urban Poor (BCRUP) Strategy.
This strategy launched by President William Ruto at the Africa Climate Summit aims to protect vulnerable urban communities from climate impacts. Potential buyers can access these units via the Boma Yangu platform on eCitizen.
Present at the event were Kwale governor Fatmah Achani, Chair of the Council of Governors Ahmed Abdullahi, Principal Secretary for Housing Charles Hinga, Cabinet Secretary for Lands and Housing Alice Wahome, and UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rossbach.