The Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Hon Alice Wahome today appeared before the Senate plenary to respond to various questions from Senators.

While responding to a question by Senator for Marsabit, Mohammed Chute on the value of parcels of land assigned to respective developers for the construction of affordable housing ,and the projected cost per square meter as well as the interest rate to be charged to the buyers, the Lands Cabinet Secretary stated that the government has allocated approximately 575 parcels of land, totalling around 12,000 acres nationwide, for the Affordable Housing Programme since 2017. 

The parcels were sourced from various entities, including Ministries, County Governments, and State Departments constituting the land bank for the programme. 

The CS clarified that while not all identified parcels meet the criteria for potential projects due to unsuitability or other factors, they will be retained for future consideration within the land bank. 

The CS revealed that there is an ongoing identification of parcels of land with continuous updates to the public for the affordable housing land bank as more parcels become available. “Developers are selected through the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, with terms mutually negotiated between parties,” said the CS . 

She further told the Senators that each Housing project undergoes a contractual agreement between the developer and the client before commencement, facilitating the developers' qualification for incentives as strategic partners. Highlighting that affordable housing development occurs on public land, the CS told the House that once the land is acquired for the project, it remains non-transferable to developers, aiming instead to benefit end-buyers and increase homeownership nationwide. 

Notably, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru cities have identified a combined total of 62 parcels, amounting to approximately 780 acres, for the programme. 

The Ministry has completed two projects in Park Road, Nairobi City County, and Bondeni, Nakuru County, with development ongoing on seven parcels spanning 116.5 acres in Nairobi and Nakuru. 

The Park Road project, completed three years ago, comprises 1,370 affordable housing units, while the Bondeni project, completed in December 2023, consists of 605 units, both still available for sale. 

Additionally, seven ongoing affordable housing projects are spread across Nairobi and Nakuru, with plans for future projects in Mombasa and Kisumu.

Notable projects include the Kibera Soweto East Zone B Housing Project in Nairobi, aimed at slum upgrading, and the Shauri Moyo Estate project, constructing 2,456 units alongside infrastructure development. 

Furthermore, the Mukuru Met Site Housing Project involves 13,076 housing units under three lots, with construction ongoing since September 2021. 

The Starehe affordable housing project, located off General Waruinge Road, features 4,500 housing units, including social housing units. Lastly, proposed projects include the Elburgon affordable housing project and the Bahati project, each aiming to construct 220 affordable housing units in Nakuru County.