Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, World Bank and UK’s Department for International Development Kenya Head Julius Court on Wednesday launched the Naivasha Affordable Housing Project.
According to the project proposal, the County Government of Nakuru has identified and committed a 55-acres in Naivasha “for the purpose of delivering affordable housing units to its citizens”.
“With technical assistance from the World Bank Group, and the UK’s Department for International Development(DFID) the county wishes to leverage this strategically located land to attract private capital towards the delivery of a minimum of 2,400 affordable housing units under a joint venture (JV) arrangement,” the proposal reads in part.
DFID Head Julius Court speaks in Nakuru on Wednesday, October 30 / COURETESY> UKINKENYA
Mr Court said they are delighted to be part of the innovative Naivasha Affordable Housing Project and “congratulate Nakuru County Government for trailblazing this model that can be replicated in other counties.”
He said his government is proud to support President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda, and to work with the Kenyan government to deliver affordable housing promise.
During his Jamhuri Day address shortly after his reelection in 2017, President Kenyatta announced the Big Four agenda, in which he’d focus on manufacturing, universal healthcare, affordable housing and food security.
On affordable housing, the President promised 500,000 affordable houses by the end of his term in 2022. He said this would be achieved through reducing the cost of mortgages, raising low-cost funds in private and public for investment in large scale house construction and cutting the cost of building through use of innovative ways and materials.
The UK government said its support is part of a broader Sh9.3 billion Sustainable Urban Economic Development support programme to attract investment in 19 counties.
Court further noted that the UK is providing technical assistance to the State Department of Housing and Urban Development to coordinate the implementation of other ongoing and planned urban infrastructure.
