Local suppliers and labourers in the Kibera Soweto B low cost housing project are expected to earn at least Ksh 550 million when the project is completed in two years.
Speaking during the Tuesday ground breaking of the Kibera Soweto Zone B Social Housing Project, President William Ruto said the government will enter an agreement with the contractor in order to allocate at least 40pc of works to locals.
The project which will take 2 years to complete will see 4,054 low cost houses constructed.
Jua kali artisans are expected to supply 8,400 doors and 15,000 windows which will be standardised with the help of National Construction Authority (NCA) and National Industrial and Technical Authority (NITA).
“We have agreed with NCA and NITA that they’ll come to give certification to all the construction workers in the project, even those without requisite papers,” said President Ruto.
President Ruto said 2,500 workers who will be employed during construction are also to be examined and issued with recognition of prior learning certification to help them secure jobs after completion of the housing project.
The houses will be issued under the tenant purchase scheme where a two-bedroomed unit will cost 4,600 monthly and three-bedroomed unit Ksh 6,500.
“In the next one year, we will have started construction of 200,000 housing units because this is a project that cannot wait. The rate of urbanisation is at approximately 4.4pc. It means 500,000 people every year move to our urban areas and because we have not developed enough infrastructure, many of our dwellers in cities, towns and townships, majority of them, almost 60pc live in slums,” he said.
The government also targets ensure 50pc of constructed houses fall under social housing.
At least 200,000 houses are to be constructed annually to meet the 2 million annual demand.
The ambitious project is also seeking to tap into pension funds for Ksh 1 trillion financial backing for construction one million low cost housing units by 2027.
Counties have been urged to allocate land where the projects will be located.
Nairobi County already has 3,000 acres of land targeted for housing development.
Ground breaking of 25,000 housing units in Makongeni is also scheduled for for next month.
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