The Committee of Housing, Urban Planning, and Public Works, led by Emurua Dikirr member of Parliament Johana Ng’eno yesterday conducted a public participation in Sagana Town, Ndia Constituency Kirinyaga
Ng’eno called on the National Construction Authority (NCA) to stop marking the house after investors have gone through all processes saying marking such structures was illegal and the NCA should stop it.
“Investors are using a lot of money to go through all the processes and putting up the building and due to minor mistakes done by the contractor, NCA pulls down the building,” said Ng’eno.
He said the committee would start a special enquiry team to investigate some of the challenges facing the construction industry, saying there has been many cases like buildings collapsing.
He however noted that there has been reported cases of sham constructors who have faked papers and do not qualify to be engineers.
“We have some individuals in the construction industry who are as quack architects and engineers,” he said.
He emphasizes that the main agenda behind the housing programme is to provide shelter and create employment opportunities to the community surrounding, especially the youths.
Ng’eno said when time comes for one to own a house, there would be different ways to do so, one of them being tenant purchase, where one can be paying for the house as rent and after paying it for some years, at the end one would own the house, unlike the way it is today.
He said the initiative was an advantage for Kenyans, and they should embrace the affordable housing programme
“For one to get a house, you have to register using your identity card on our website,” he added.
Ng’eno also said that a law has been passed by Parliament protecting the funds collected under affordable housing programme, and no one should divert that money to other programmes apart from the housing projects.
Kirinyaga Central Member of Parliament Eng. Gachoki Gitari said that the Kirinyaga leaders were united in support of the programme and they were making sure that residents from the area where the project would be constructed would get the first employment opportunities. His sentiment were echoed by Kirinyaga County MP Jane Njeri.
Pastor Pauline from Sagana ACK church requested the government to include church leaders in such programmes saying churches played a vital role in the country. She also challenged youths to be turn out and register for them to benefit.
“We have many trained youth with skills from our technical schools in our villages. To parents, make sure your children both skilled and unskilled have registered before the project starts,” she said.
Mariam Abdalla from Karitii Ward, Ndia Constituency said as youth, they were behind the project since they stood to benefit.
By David Wandeto
