The Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Housing, Public Works, and Urban Development, Alice Wahome, has officially launched and assessed the ongoing projects under the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Programme (KISIP) phase II in Eldoret.
During the launch CS Wahome urged the county government to support the initiative so that the residents of Uasin Gishu can access decent housing noting that the government is on course to ensure every Kenyan particularly those living in informal settlements benefit from the affordable housing project.
She noted that their tour included key sites in Eldoret 64 market, Pioneer, Kidiwa, and Railway City, where they observed significant progress, such as the construction of 2,260 low-cost housing units in Pioneer and 220 units in Kidiwi, and 2000 units in Railways.
“I expect that most of our housing units in this area we had started initially should be able to given to Kenyans by January 2025,” said Wahome.
“We have engaged with residents to review these developments, which are part of a broader effort to enhance infrastructure under the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Program,” she said.
“We have evaluated the progress of Eldoret 64 market and I am happy with the progress. The starting has been slow since we had to change the design slightly as we needed to have more levels to capitalize on the land that we have and because we did not have sufficient parking for the traders, we agreed that we will do two level down instead of one,” stated the CS.
“We are about 20 percent now and once we deal with the rocks on the lower part, we will move quickly. We will be doing six floors two down and four above the surface. This project will cost us Sh1.5 billion,” she revealed.
She appealed to traders to be patient and give them time as there will be no more challenges as the funding is available and the contractor is doing a fantastic job.
She confirmed that the market shall be delivered and it shall house around 3,000 traders noting that they want traders to stop selling their products along the roads as the market aims to create safer and more dignified working environments.
In his remarks, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii expressed satisfaction that the advancement of affordable housing projects aligned with the President William Ruto objectives will be a game changer.
“We are advancing access to affordable and decent housing in partnership with the national government as our fifth city of Eldoret continues to urbanize,” said Bii.
“These projects aim to improve housing availability and create job opportunities for local youth, thus promoting regional growth,” she said.
Bii noted that improvements in road infrastructure, drainage systems, and green spaces under this initiative have benefited numerous settlements, enhancing economic and social livelihoods.
By Judy Too
