Residents of Nairobi’s Mukuru kwa Reuben are set to benefit from a housing scheme that is being developed in the area. President William Ruto announced on Monday that the slum dwellers will get cheaper mortgage terms for them to afford the acquisition of units within the Affordable Housing Scheme. The president presided over the groundbreaking ceremony.
The project targets to make available 110,000 units for the low-income households who currently live on the 700-acre Mukuru kwa Reuben slum land. According to the head of state, those who will opt to pay a mortgage will have full ownership of their homes in 20 years.
“The Ksh 3,000 they currently pay as rent here will be paid as a mortgage, ukilipa nyumba hapa elfu tatu, baada ya miaka ishirini, hiyo nyumba inakuwa yako,” President Ruto said. The president noted that the impoverished households in the Mukuru kwa Reuben slum pay more for electricity despite living in far worse conditions than most residents of Nairobi.
“Mukuru is the only place you pay to go to the toilet, you pay 170 per cent more for water than what others are paying in Lavington and Karen,” the head of state said. “You pay more for electricity than any other part of Nairobi, yet these are the people at the bottom of the pyramid.”
Once the affordable housing plan is complete those seeking to rent bedsitters will have to pay Ksh. 3,000, while 1-bedroom houses will go for Ksh. 5,000 and 2-bedroom houses will cost Ksh. 6,500 under the social housing plan. To ensure the eradication of slums the president urged legislators to back the Housing Fund Bill to enable the government to offer more affordable mortgages.
“I am confident that our Parliament will work with us so that we can do the right thing and provide the financial infrastructure: from construction to mortgage to support those living in informal settlements.”
