City Affairs

Residents in six estates of Nairobi's Eastlands ordered to vacate by April 30

President William Ruto during the launch of the Kanduyi Affordable Housing project in Muskoma, Bungoma County, on February 1, 2024. (Photo: PCS)

By Lucy Mumbi | Friday, March 1, 2024

Residents in those areas have been directed to vacate their homes after clearing any outstanding rent arrears, utility bills, and service charges.

Residents in six estates in Nairobi's Eastlands area have been ordered to vacate to pave the way for redevelopment under the Affordable Housing Program (AHP).

In a notice issued by the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga said the affected estates include Jogoo Road Phase I & II, Jamaa, Mbotela, Ahero, and Mawenzi Gardens.

Keep reading

Residents in those areas have been directed to vacate their homes by April 30, 2024, after clearing any outstanding rent arrears, utility bills, and service charges.

“As you are aware, the Government is implementing the Affordable Housing Program (AHP), which is part of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Pursuant to this, several old estates have been identified for redevelopment to increase rental stock, avail houses for sale to citizens at affordable rates, and create job opportunities for the youth,” Hinga said.

“In line with this, several Government Estates in the Eastlands area have been identified and earmarked for redevelopment. To pave the way for their redevelopment, there is need to vacate all tenants residing in these Government estates immediately.”

Hinga added that tenants vacated from the earmarked estates will be accorded priority to purchase or rent a house once the redevelopment is complete.

On February 21, 2024, Members of the National Assembly passed the Affordable Housing Bill with amendments.

Following the passing of the Third Reading, the Affordable Housing Bill is now slated for consideration by the Senate for concurrence.

The bill has been forwarded to the Senate since some components of the proposed amendments are attached to the county governments.

It was tabled afresh with amendments for a second time in Parliament following an initial court order rejecting and terming it unconstitutional.

President William Ruto said the government plans to construct 1,000,000 houses across the country by 2027.

He said his administration was committed to providing safe, habitable, secure and affordable housing for all Kenyans.

In addition, he said the Programme will play a pivotal role in safeguarding arable agricultural land from fragmentation.

Ruto noted that if the fragmentation of agricultural land is not managed, the country will soon run out of adequate farming land.

He explained that the government is keen on supporting farmers to scale up the production of food to help the country attain its food security goals.

“We want you to stop dividing land and live in Affordable Housing programme houses so that we can use the land you would have settled in to produce food and eradicate hunger,” he said.