Housing woes could be eased by embracing local materials

The invisible hand of capitalism has been releasing more land to the market. [iStockphoto]

Affordable housing has been at the core of government policies since independence. The policy is mainly driven by a shortage of housing in the urban areas (read Nairobi).

This has led to an increase in rent and sprawling slums. Why the shortage, and what's the solution? Affordable housing is available in rural areas where most citizens build houses with the available materials and on their own land.