The government has postponed the launch of 4,888 housing units under the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) to May, after failing to meet the initial deadline of opening them for low-income Kenyans by the end of March. The delay was attributed to setbacks in the installation of lifts, though the allocation process is still ongoing.
Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga confirmed the postponement, stating that the final touches were being completed, but the delay in lift installation, particularly affecting the Mukuru housing project, had pushed back the launch. “(We are in) final touches, lifts delayed a bit but now installed (affects Mukuru), allocation process ongoing, demand way too high. We aim for April but realistically May is our best bet,” he said.
The Ministry of Lands and Housing had initially set the launch for March, marking the first batch of completed homes under President William Ruto’s administration. Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome had stated in February that the government planned to release approximately 5,000 houses quarterly. “I will be releasing 4,888 (houses) by the end of March and every quarter I will possibly be releasing between 4,000 and 5,000. In the next year, I should have close to 140,000 houses,” she said.
This delay adds pressure on the government to meet its housing targets, as it had pledged to deliver at least 200,000 homes annually. In February, the National Treasury reported that 124,000 houses were at different stages of construction, underscoring the scale of the ongoing efforts.
The affordable housing initiative is largely funded through the housing levy, which has been deducted from Kenyan workers’ salaries at a rate of 1.5% since July 2023, with employers required to match the amount. The levy, introduced to finance the housing programme, has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising the initiative while others criticize it as an additional financial burden.
Despite these challenges, the government remains committed to scaling up the construction and delivery of affordable homes. The postponed launch in May will be a critical test of its ability to fulfill its promise of providing accessible housing to thousands of Kenyans.