Pay rent or buy food? The dilemma haunting Kenyan families

Rising housing costs are forcing Kenyan families to choose between rent and other basic needs. [iStockphoto]

For millions of Kenyans living on tight incomes and still without homes, the end-of-month knock from the landlord has become a familiar source of anxiety as households struggle to keep a roof over their heads.

With about 4.6 million households living in rented homes, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the financial burden of housing is becoming increasingly evident.