700 Nairobi slum residents get subsidised housing

Families from Soweto in Kibera will move into new upgraded houses. PHOTO: EDWARD KIPLIMO.

NAIROBI: Some 700 families in Nairobi's Kibera slum have benefited from subsidised housing under the ongoing slum-upgrading project.

The families from Soweto in Kibera, Nairobi were yesterday allocated two and three-bedroom houses through a ballot system that was overseen by the Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNHRC).

Some 144 families were allocated three-bedroom houses while 548 got two-bedroom units. Lands, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi, said the Government would build another 3,500 units to cover all the 6,000 residents who signed up for houses.

"A majority of the beneficiaries earn less than Sh5,000 a month that is why the Government subsidised the mortgage of the houses to three per cent through a payment period of 25 years," said Prof Kaimenyi. The three-bedroom house will cost Sh1.35 million and the two-bedroom Sh1 million.

"There are also 245 market stalls that will be allocated as many of them are in business. This is an indication the Government cares for all categories of Kenyans," he said.

The housing project that initially targeted 822 families was completed in 2015 but the balloting process of allocation was halted after some aggrieved beneficiaries lodged a petition in court.

The High Court on January 5, 2016 ruled that KNHRC should act as an arbitrator in the allocation of houses through a vetting process that saw some residents left out.

"Many of these could either not genuine residents of the area or used dubious means to try and acquire two houses for them to rent out," said KNHRC Vice Chairman George Morara.

Mr Morara said an agreement will be signed by all beneficiaries to ensure that for the next 25 years the houses would not be rented out "but only passed to the next of kin".

Over 2,000 documents were scrutinised, with interested parties required to raise a deposit of  Sh135,000 for the three-bedroom and Sh100,000 for the two-bedroom houses through the Soweto East Zone A Sacco. They were also required to have loyally paid rent at the decanting site where they were relocated during the 10-year project and to produce the identification cards issued during enumeration.