Housing
Government Spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura, has lauded construction progress of Affordable Houses at Makenji area in Murang’a County. Mwaura, speaking when he inspected the project, Tuesday, stated that the construction of 220 house units, is at 45 percent complete.
He said the project is expected to be completed by March next year, urging locals to register with Boma yangu platform, so as to secure a unit once the project is complete. The nine housing blocks occupying an area of about two acres comprises 100 two-bedrooms, 60 three-bedrooms and 60 studios units.
“These units will be affordable to the majority of Kenyans and I appeal to local residents to be in the frontline in registering with the Boma yangu platform and pay the required deposit so as to secure a unit.” Said the spokesperson. Mwaura further said the location of the houses is convenient to people working in Nairobi, Thika and neighbouring areas.
“Fare from here to Nairobi is Sh. 150, and the houses are allocated along Thika –Kenol- Marua Highway, so these units are easily accessible and will be convenient to people working in Nairobi, Kiambu and Murang’a, He added. Mwaura continued “this project is employing on a daily basis about 150 workers directly and many more others indirectly.”
Apart from the housing units, the project will bring in other amenities, including upgrading of Makindi Primary School, construction of a dispensary and a modern market. The project is earmarked to greatly benefit the people of this area. Already, economic activities at Kabati Trading Centres are on rise, considering people employed in this site.” Added Mwaura.
He lauded the Affordable Housing project being implemented by the Kenya Kwanza Administration, saying the units will uplift living standards to many Kenyans who have poor shelters.
Government Spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura, leads a team to inspect construction of Affordable Housing at Makenji in Murang’a.
“The government is working on an improved technology, which hastens the construction of housing units. Our target is to have more than 700, 000 housing units by the end of this term. Already construction of Affordable Houses is going on in various parts of the country and some have already been completed,” he averred.
A local community leader, Stephen Mugo, underscored the project, saying it has provided employment to scores of local young people. Mugo observed the engagement of the youths, and has reduced criminal activities in the area asking the contractor to consider employing more young people from Kandara Sub-county.
“We are happy with this project since it has provided jobs to our children. Initially we had many criminal cases in this area of Kabati but now our youth have a source of income. We ask the government to consider building more houses in this region since 220 units is a small fraction,” remarked Mugo.
The site clerk of works Michael Mwalolo said apart from the employed workers, the project has offered internship opportunities to students pursuing various technical courses. The internship programme, he noted, has enabled students to gain on job training experience adding that the National Institute of Technical Authority (NITA) has also assessed some of the masons working in the site and have no valid documents so as to provide them with certificates.
Mwololo said construction of the houses which kicked off in November last year was slated for completion this month but due to heavy downpour experienced in the months of March and April, the completion time was extended to March next year. Murang’a County Commissioner, Joshua Nkanatha, said the local police post will be expanded and more officers be deployed so as to provide security in the area.
Nkanatha warned the workers from stealing construction materials after concerns were raised of theft of some of the construction items.”I appeal to workers to take care of the construction materials, stealing will land one in prison and its ideal to ensure equipment and materials you are provided for the works are taken care of,” The Commissioner told the workers.
The Spokesman’s team also visited and inspected Maragua Water Project where more than 50, 000 households are slated to be connected with clean water for domestic use and another 843 households get water for irrigation.