Mukuru affordable housing project opens registration for 2,000 new units

By Newsflash Repoter

NAIROBI, Kenya – The Mukuru Affordable Housing Project has launched its second phase registration, targeting approximately 2,000 residents from informal settlements in South B, Nairobi. The exercise, which began Tuesday in Nairobi South Ward, focuses on applicants previously enumerated by the Slum Upgrading Department four months after the project’s initial launch.

Ruth Wekesa, an official with the Affordable Housing Board, explained that the current registration specifically serves those who have already undergone the enumeration process. “We are putting them into the system and helping them to apply for studio units located at New Mukuru Estate,” she stated during the registration exercise.

Expanding Access to Affordable Homes

Area MCA Waithera Chege emphasized the significance of this phase in expanding housing access. “In this second phase, we are targeting at least 2,000 residents. If you look at Mariguini, that project started way back, and as of today, we have managed to register over 600 people,” she reported.

The registration process has generated considerable optimism among residents, many of whom see it as an opportunity to transition from informal settlements to formal housing. One successful applicant shared: “My application has gone through because the process has been simplified. I needed to produce my KRA PIN, KRA Compliance Certificate, and a six-month M-PESA statement. I have registered for a bed-sitter.”

Another resident encouraged community participation, confirming: “My people, it is true, stop doubting this thing because I already have a house. I have already signed the agreement, so come and try your luck.”

Structured Payment System

The government has implemented a rent-to-own payment structure designed to match what residents previously paid in informal settlements. Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary Charles Hinga earlier explained that beneficiaries would pay Sh2,800 monthly, which includes a subsidized Sh1,000 service charge (normally Sh3,000) and Sh200 for insurance coverage.

“This housing programme addresses what I describe as the ‘penalty of poverty,'” PS Hinga noted during a recent interview, highlighting that informal settlement residents often pay significantly more for basic services without ownership benefits.

The current registration phase concludes today, with new applicant consideration scheduled to begin Wednesday. The government has announced that the next registration window in January will include one- and two-bedroom units, expanding housing options for residents.

President William Ruto officially handed over the first set of 1,080 units in the Mukuru Affordable Housing project in May, with the majority being bedsitters. The project represents a significant step in addressing Nairobi’s housing deficit while providing formal home ownership opportunities for low-income residents.