Mombasa leaders demand Buxton Phase 2 inclusion in housing scheme, accuse state of bias
Governor Abdulswamad called for a Senate probe into Mombasa’s exclusion from national housing plans and criticised housing officials for skipping the meeting, calling it a waste of time and resources.
Mombasa leaders have strongly criticised the State Department of Housing for allegedly excluding the county from the rollout of the Tenancy Purchase Scheme (TPS), even though all required documents for Buxton Phase 2 have already been submitted.
During a heated committee session at the Kenya School of Government in Mombasa, the Senate Committee on Housing and local leaders accused the national government of favouring counties like Nairobi, Kisumu, and Nakuru in the TPS, while unfairly excluding Mombasa.
Governor Abdulswamad Sherrif Nassir led the charge, questioning why Mombasa residents continue to be excluded from housing benefits available elsewhere.
“This government cannot treat Mombasa as an afterthought. Our people are taxpayers, too. If TPS is good for Nairobi, Nakuru, or Kisumu, it must be good for Mombasa,” he declared.
He called for a special motion in the Senate to investigate why Mombasa is consistently left behind in national housing plans, lamenting the time and resources wasted by stakeholders attending a meeting where key housing officials failed to appear.
“The day the State Department was supposed to be here, they failed to show up. We have guests who have travelled from Nairobi and others who sacrificed their time. Yet those who should be here are nowhere to be seen,” the governor added.
Equality
Senator Miraj Abdillah echoed the frustration, stating, “We will not accept this double standard. The Constitution guarantees equality. That includes housing programmes.”
Senators Mohamed Chute (Marsabit), Peris Tobiko (Nominated, Lelegwe Ltumbesi (Samburu), and John Kinyua (Laikipia) also joined in rebuking the housing officials for their absence and perceived disregard for equitable implementation of the TPS.
Senator Kinyua questioned the seriousness of the department.
“Was the Principal Secretary even invited to this meeting? We are here engaging serious stakeholders, and those from the housing ministry can’t be bothered to attend. Even a Standard Two pupil wouldn’t believe such weak excuses.”
According to Senator Eddy Oketch, the committee chairperson, all officials, including the Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary, were formally invited through the committee clerk, but neither responded nor attended.
Kinyua added that it was the department itself that had requested the meeting, calling the no-show “disrespectful” and urging the committee to summon the CS and PS before the Senate.
Mvita MP Mohamed Soud Machele also weighed in, stressing that urban regeneration should uplift, not displace, communities.
“We must ensure these projects are about empowerment, not marginalisation,” he said.
The committee demanded a formal written commitment from the State Department of Housing, along with a clear timeline on the inclusion of Mombasa in the TPS framework.
Governor Abdulswamad’s administration affirmed that all technical and eligibility requirements for Buxton Phase 2 had been met, and that only political will was now lacking.
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