There should be housing for all under new law

By Beauttah Omanga

The Government must be compelled through the new constitution to provide good housing.

Participants at a public forum organised by Kituo Cha Sheria at Ufungamano House in Nairobi said the draft should declare evictions cannot be effected without a three-month notice and that the Government offers alternative homes to squatters.

"We want to see all slum dwellers taken care of through the new constitution. Their health depends on the houses they occupy and it is upon the Government to provide that as per the new constitution," said lawyer Priscilla Nyokabi.

The Kenya National Human Rights Commission Vice-Chairman Hassan Omar said the new constitution must ensure good life is not a privilege to a selected few.

Nyokabi, Omar and lawyer Paul Muite said there should be a slum upgrading policy and a rent regulation board to shield tenants from exploitation.

The Director of the slum-upgrading programme in the Ministry of Housing Leah Muraguri said the Government was planning to construct about 150,000 houses a year in urban areas and another 300,000 in rural areas.

The Committee of Experts chief executive Ekuru Aukot said the contents of the draft were well thought out and if implemented would transform the country to the levels Kenyans have yearned for since Independence.

Workable constitution

"The shortcomings in governance that the citizens have experienced for the past 46 years were as a result of lack of a workable constitution. The draft in place now is a good one for all Kenyans irrespective of their status in society," said Aukot.

But Muite said the draft was too academic and its implementation would be taxing to the Government and the public.

"We have excellent proposals on Bill of rights among others.

"As per the draft, the Government should provide quality life to all citizens, but is that practicable?" he posed.