Inside the 13,248-unit Mukuru kwa Njenga affordable housing project

Mukuru Kwa Njenga in Nairobi’s Embakasi South is home to Kenya’s largest affordable housing project, stretching across 56 acres and featuring 13,248 housing units.

The development aims to provide safe, affordable, and dignified homes to residents across different income levels.

President William Ruto on Tuesday officiated the handover of 1,080 units, describing the project as a turning point in Kenya’s housing sector.

“These keys do not just open doors; these are keys that will unlock opportunity, safety, pride, equity, and intergenerational upliftment,” he said.

President Ruto revealed that so far, the project has injected Sh11 billion directly into construction and neighbourhood development.

He noted that for every shilling invested, an additional Sh2.50 is generated through supporting businesses.

“This means nearly Sh28 billion has already been infused into the economy through this single initiative,” the President said.

This project aligns with the government’s broader ambition to construct over 200,000 housing units each year, aiming to meet the country’s annual housing demand of approximately 250,000 units.

The housing units include 5,616 bedsitters distributed in 26 blocks, 3,024 one-bedroom apartments in 14 blocks, and 4,608 two-bedroom units spread across 48 blocks.

These homes are part of a rent-to-own scheme where monthly payments act as mortgage instalments.

Bedsitters rent for Sh3,900 per month, one-bedroom units for Sh4,000, and two-bedroom units for Sh5,000. Water and electricity costs are billed separately based on usage.

The project caters to three main income groups: social housing for those earning Sh20,000 or less, affordable housing for incomes up to Sh149,000, and upper-middle-income units for higher earners.

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This range is meant to ensure broad accessibility while supporting inclusive urban growth.

Construction began in October 2022 and is expected to be completed by March 2026.

The project is managed by three contractors: Vaghjiyani Enterprises is responsible for the bedsitter blocks, Epco Builders is handling one-bedroom units, and Top Choice Surveillance is in charge of the two-bedroom apartments.

The land, located at Mukuru Met Site in South B near Enterprise Road, was reclaimed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in 2020 after being grabbed illegally for more than 20 years.

Initially owned by the Kenya Meteorological Department and valued at Sh5 billion, the land had been subdivided into several companies before the court ordered the cancellation of illegal titles.

In 2020, Justice Elijah Obaga of the Environment and Lands Court ordered the cancellation of title deeds issued to five companies for the land, and ordered the firms barred from trespassing.

Recovery proceedings commenced in 2009, meaning it has taken the EACC 11 years to recover the public land grabbed in 1997 through fraudulent practices at the Ministry of Lands.

Former President Daniel Moi's directive in 1999 for all government agencies to process title deeds for land they owned set in motion a grabbing spree, and the Met was one of the victims.

The judge also ruled that the Met's headquarters have always been on Ngong Road and that evidence in court proved the land was illegally transferred to the five companies.

Residents will enjoy modern facilities such as a reticulated gas supply system designed for cleaner energy and safety features, including automatic gas leakage detectors.

Registration for the housing units is handled through the Boma Yangu platform or by dialling *832#, with a strict rule allowing only one house per national ID.