Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru has said no Kenyan will lose their money through the affordable housing projects, including the proposed 3% deductions.
Njeru said that all funds will be accounted for and will create a long-term financing mechanism for housing in the country ensuring every Kenyan has a decent home.
He urged everyone to support the deductions as they are meant to help the majority of the Kenya population.
The CS, who spoke in Kirinyaga during a visit to the Kerugoya affordable housing project site, said the government is committed to prudent management of the fund.
He said Kenyans who lacked financial muscles have been shunned by financial institutions and therefore have no chance of owning a home.
Njeru said that the housing projects will significantly increase employment opportunities for Kenyans as they are expected to provide both skilled and unskilled labor during the construction phases.
“We are requesting, in line with the President William Ruto’s directive, that when it comes to labour, the contractor gets local people and uses local materials. We also encourage local Jua Kali artisans to come up and provide as many components as possible,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
The CS said that the affordable housing project has 69 standardized components for uniformity and that so far 36,000 units are already under construction.
Kirinyaga Deputy Governor David Githanda said that the County Government had identified more land across the county for the consecutive phases of the affordable housing project.
The county government projects to have at least 1,000 low-cost housing units. The first phase of the project in Kirinyaga will consist of 100 units after which the second phase will commence.
Githanda said the county government was pleased to note that the contractor had committed to complete construction of the houses within eight months and not one years as projected earlier.
By Mutai Kipngetich
