The Director of Housing and Urban Development in Charge of Nyanza Region Jared Buoga has disclosed that the Affordable Mabera Housing project in Migori was at 36 per cent completion.
Buoga who spoke during the affordable housing project participation forum at the Migori Teacher’s Training College said that the Mabera project will house 60 units in phase one.
The Director expounded that public participation has given out important inputs and valuable suggestions that range from the privatization of take-up of affordable houses by locals and concerns about job creation.
He noted that the Housing and Urban Development department was in the process of designing phase two of the project in the 2.5 acres located in Kuria West Sub County.
The official also disclosed that the housing project at Kehancha in Kuria West Sub County and Rongo has already been awarded to contractors with the progress of the projects at the mobilisation stage.
Buoga noted that the State Department for Housing and Urban Development was also doing markets to help in the economic stimulus programme in partnership with the County government of Migori.
Six sites for markets constructions have already been handed over to the contractors and works are ongoing.
The official elaborated that markets are of greater importance in providing decent trading spaces for both traders and customers. The markets will also have cold storage facilities to preserve the fish products from Lake Victoria.
He explained that the department is at the tail end of formulating the Affordable Housing Regulations 2024, which will provide critical frameworks that the nation needs to seamlessly undertake affordable housing programmes and associated infrastructures.
The Proposed draft of the Affordable Housing Regulations 2024 seeks to facilitate full operationalization of the Affordable Housing Act in the development of affordable housing, institutional housing and associated social and physical infrastructure across the country.
The main objective and reason for the proposed Affordable Housing Regulations, 2024 is to operationalize Affordable Housing Act, 2024 and provide clarity on its implementation.
Buoga added that locals will be given the first priority to take up affordable houses as well as the opportunity to provide materials for the affordable housing projects within their county to spur economic growth.
Migori County Commissioner David Gitonga said that public participation in affordable housing was key in helping to get suggestions on what to consider, improve and implement by the locals in the Affordable Housing Regulation, 2024.
Gitonga said that the ongoing construction of affordable houses in Mabera was on going smoothly apart from issues of contractors being behind schedule.
He said that the local administration will work closely with the Department of House and Urban Planning and the county government of Migori to realise the affordable housing projects in the county.
Migori County Chief Officer in charge of Lands, Housing, Physical Planning and Urban Development Andrew Mwera acknowledged the good partnership between the national and the Migori County in implementation of the housing projects in the county.
He said that a lot of clarifications in consultations between Housing and Urban Development have been made to streamline the implementation of the affordable housing project within the county.
By Geoffrey Makokha
