Housing projects change Mombasa skyline

The Sh6 billion Buxton Point estate in Mombasa. [File, Standard] Authorities in Mombasa County are in a race to build more than 50,000 affordable housing units within the next five years. County Director of Housing Rodgers Wakhungu said the government has identified 16 sites where it seeks to put up the 50,000 housing units. "We have set a target to achieve 50,000 affordable housing units to be built in five years under national and county government in 16 sites through public-private partnerships," he said. The latest in the county is the construction of 1,976 housing units at the Nyali housing development project in the VOK area in Bombolulu, which stands out as one of the biggest projects in the county. Officials have billed the project as unique and one that will change the skyline of Bombolu and Nyali areas and create a mini-city in northern Mombasa. The integrated project will cost about Sh7 billion. It has two schools, an Early Childhood Development Education Centre (ECDE) and a modern market. The 15-level housing units and primary and secondary schools will cost Sh5.9 billion while the modern municipal market will cost Sh1.1 billion. Interestingly, the project has started in earnest on a 23-acre land belonging to Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) that has been at the centre of a long-standing dispute between KBC and the Mombasa County government. The prime land located near Bombolulu along the Mombasa-Malindi highway was at one time almost repossessed by the county government, which had claimed land rates amounting to about Sh30 million. KBC was once stopped by the county government from constructing a wall around the disputed land. But Wakhungu confirmed that Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir and KBC officials have resolved their differences over the land. Construction of the houses will be completed in 720 days or three years. "The authorities have had meetings and have since resolved the past differences. The governor has given his blessings to the housing project," Wakhungu stated. Since 2016, Mombasa authorities have been pushing to implement the urban renewal and redevelopment of old estates in a programme aimed at establishing as many houses as possible. The earlier target was to build at least 30,000 housing units to bridge the ever-rising housing deficit in Kenya's second-largest city. The plan to be implemented through PPP is estimated to cost a total of Sh200 billion. Already, old houses at the Buxton, Mzizima, Changamwe and Likoni estates have been demolished to pave the way for the construction of affordable housing projects. Next to be demolished are houses in Hobley Road estate, Khadija, Nyerere, Tom Mboya, Tudor, Kaa Chanjo, Miritini, Kizingo, and Green Fields. But the Nyali affordable housing development project whose construction started last Monday in earnest is being developed on undeveloped land donated by KBC. The consortium's lead architect Mohamed Munyanya says the Nyali project will comprise 700 units for social housing which are reserved for low-income earners, 700 for the middle class and the remaining units for the high-income market. The municipal market will have 1000 stalls and will transform the area into a modern commercial centre. National government administration officers were this week mobilising for the recruitment of local youth to be employed by the housing project. According to Munyanya, the project will employ thousands of youth and 70 per cent of the available opportunities will go to residents. "This is going to be a mini city where the affordable housing project will have a commercial centre, a municipal market, a primary school, a secondary school and ECDE. The community here has embraced the project," he stated. Munyanya who is a representative of AIA Architects Ltd said contractors are already on site. He said the consortium and the State have proposed building high-rise apartments to ensure economic use of the land to create ample space for the schools and the commercial centre. "The affordable housing programme is designed to provide houses and create employment and enhance economic takeoff. Kenya was at one point at the same economic status as Singapore but the latter overtook us because it embraced the affordable housing programme early," Munyanya explained. Wakhungu said yesterday the county has 16 affordable housing sites under the national government and county government. He said the county authorities target to build 50,000 affordable housing units, adding that the construction of houses was ongoing at Buxton and Changamwe sites. He stated that the development of Hobble Road Estate on Mombasa Island was at the tendering stage. The county executive said the government will build 1,500 units at Hobble in Buxton, Mvita sub-county. Nyali Deputy County Commissioner Timothy Cherop said the local community in the VOK area has been sensitised on the project that will offer employment and business opportunities to them. "We have also beefed up security in this area. Everything is set for the project," he said. So far, more than 500 housing units have been completed at the Buxton affordable housing site. The Buxton project is being developed on a 12.5-acre plot by Buxton Point Apartment for Sh6 billion. It comprises a total of 1800 houses.

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