President William Ruto Tuesday, officially handed over 1,080 housing units to residents of Mukuru in what has been described as the largest single-site housing intervention in Kenya’s history.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, President Ruto hailed the Mukuru project as a transformative initiative aimed at restoring dignity and hope to communities long neglected. The project, part of the Affordable Housing Programme, will eventually deliver 13,248 units and has already injected over KSh28 billion into the economy through construction and related industries.
“This is not just a housing project, it’s an economic engine,” the President said. “From Mama Mboga feeding fundis to Jua Kali artisans making windows and doors, this is an ecosystem of empowerment.”
The site includes infrastructure like roads, sewer systems, parking, a fire station, healthcare centre, and even day care facilities.
President Ruto said the Affordable Housing Programme is doing more than putting roofs over heads, emphasizing that it’s revolutionising financial access and small business development in Kenya.
The President said the initiative has led banks and SACCOs to craft mortgage and rent-to-own products tailored for low-income earners once considered uncreditworthy. “The Hustler is now bankable,” he said.
Additionally, the programme prioritises MSMEs and Jua Kali artisans, with 154 contractors and thousands of workers across Kenya engaged in housing delivery. The President also revealed plans to develop 26 modern markets and upgrade 201 existing ones, incorporating cold storage, ICT hubs, and business-friendly amenities.
The president once again hit out at his political opponents, accusing them of prioritising endless politics over meaningful development. “Kuna wale wanasema wanataka kazi bila break, na kuna wale wanataka siasa mfululizo,” Ruto remarked,
He emphasised that the current season is not for political campaigns but for rebuilding the nation through agriculture, education, job creation, and economic growth.
“Saa hizi, wakati huu, majira haya ni ya kupanga kazi ya Wakenya; kuna wakati utakuja wa siasa,” he added.
The President concluded by reminding citizens that they, the voters, hold the ultimate power to judge between leaders who deliver and those who only talk.
