Elderly in Kakamega get roofs over their heads under welfare scheme

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya looks at the blueprint sketch of a house during the launch of the shelter upgrading program in Shinyalu.

Kakamega County will build 360 low-cost houses for the poor and marginalised groups, largely made up of widows, widowers and the elderly.

Six people from each of the 60 wards in the county will be provided with free two-room permanent homes complete with bedding under a Sh34 million social welfare programme.

Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said beneficiaries of the programme have no relatives to provide for them and most have been living in dreadful conditions.

“The programme to construct permanent houses seeks to ensure that poor senior members of the society are assisted. By offering them houses and bedding, we want to ensure they lead comfortable lives in their final days,” said Oparanya.

Suleiman Sumba, the county executive member in charge of Social Services, Youth and Sports, said construction will begin in a few months.

“We want to target those who can’t afford to pay for their own homes and have established that many widows and elderly people live in wretched conditions. This programme is aimed at improving their lives,” said Sumba.

In the second phase of the scheme,  Sh50 million will be spent to build homes.

“In the first phase of the programme, we will construct 360 houses and in the second phase, the county government will put up more than 450 houses,” said the county official.

Sumba said that due to poverty across the county, most residents cannot afford to put up permanent shelters.

“There are high poverty levels in this county yet shelter is a basic need. We would like to come to the aid of residents living in these wretched conditions,” he said.

The evaluation of candidates is about to begin.

A committee will be set up in each ward to identify needy cases, said the governor.

“We will expect full transparency in identifying the beneficiaries from the committee comprising the clergy, county administrators, politicians, youths, women and people living with disability,” said the governor.

Corruption and favouritism will not be condoned, he said.

“We need the would-be beneficiaries to be fairly selected. We will not tolerate corruption in this scheme,” warned Oparanya.

Sumba the roll out process was about to begin

After tender evaluations, the county partnered with local youth polytechnics which will develop the houses, said Sumba. “This is an opportunity to empower the youth and create employment. We expect the polytechnics to use this opportunity to market their expertise to housing investors for future programmes,” he explained.

According to Kenya National Housing Survey 2012/2013, Kakamega County has 376,748 households.

Some 5.3 per cent of houses are stone-walled, 8.6 per cent brick/block, 79.7 per cent mud/wood and 0.5 per cent have grass/reeds walls.