Mukuru affordable houses ready, but no tenants five days later

58 year old Jerusha Muthoni preparing a meal in a bedsitter suit at the New Mukuru affordable Housing project in the Nairobi Industrial Area on 23, May 2025. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

Days after President William Ruto unveiled new affordable housing units and issued keys to Mukuru residents, only one had settled by Friday.

It emerged that the houses are not yet complete, with most of the finishing underway. Insiders say it may take a few days before the rest of the occupants are admitted.

Of the 1,080 persons given keys to the houses, only Jerusha Muthoni has checked into President William Ruto's first affordable houses in New Mukuru Housing Estate.

The 58-year-old widow and mother of three is among the tenants who were handed keys on Tuesday this week by the President, to occupy a bedsit.

On Friday, Muthoni was beaming with happiness alongside her daughter. Together with two other female visitors, they enjoyed the new environment-far from the squalor of Mukuru slums.

"I was living in Mukuru slum, but now I am an estate resident-and life here is like London, good," she said with a smile.

Her daughter was preparing lunch using a 6kg gas cylinder, although the houses are designed to use reticulated gas.

Muthoni said she has been hosting visitors daily since she moved in, mostly friends from the slum who want to see whether the stories are true and what kind of house it is

"They ask me how I got it, and I tell them I went to a cyber cafe, applied, and now the good thing is I'm paying Sh3,800 to own it - since we'll eventually be issued a title deed," she explained.

"When we were told the houses were ready, we came expecting the gas to be connected, but they are still working on it. Any time now they may come to fix it," said Muthoni.

On Friday, there was considerable activity at the five blocks of more than 200 studio units.

The units form part of the affordable housing project expected to deliver 13,248 homes - comprising bedsits, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units - across 60 acres on Roads C and B off Enterprise Road in the Industrial Area.

According to Affordable Housing Board CEO Sheila Waweru, most tenants are expected to move in by early next month.

"Some are still moving in because they requested support with furniture for their particular units, and also help with gas installation," said Waweru.

The noise of ongoing work was evident around the buildings, with final touches such as piping, installations, carpentry, and other fittings being completed.

Lorries were delivering furniture, including mattresses, three-seater sofas, coffee tables, TV stands, and single or double-decker beds, depending on the tenant's preference.

According to Waweru, residents are not obligated to take the furniture; they can choose to occupy the units without it.

Asked how the furniture would be paid for, she said a partnership with suppliers had been agreed, allowing tenants to pay an additional Sh200 to Sh300 per month on top of their rent.

It's not just the houses that are unfinished-social amenities are also still under development. Waweru said.