The Kiambu County government has warned individuals who have illegally seized land meant for affordable housing.
County Housing Board Chairperson Dr. Robert Waihenya stated that a significant portion of public land set aside for these projects has been grabbed. He vowed to reclaim this land.
“Our Board, which recently took office, has discovered that most of the land set aside for affordable housing units has been illegally occupied. We demand that these individuals vacate the property immediately,” said Dr. Waihenya.
The official made this statement during an inspection of ongoing construction works for 425 affordable housing units in Thika’s Depot area. This project, undertaken by the National Housing Board, is valued at Sh3.5 billion.
Dr. Waihenya added, “For example, at the Thika site, some individuals had illegally occupied space intended for a parking lot. We are warning them that both the county and national governments are committed to ensuring that this land is used for its designated purpose.”
The Nairobi Metropolitan Regional Director for Housing, Don Kagicha, announced that the Thika project will be completed by 2026 and is one of three such projects in the town.
Kagicha emphasized that the national government is collaborating with regional governments to fulfill President William Ruto’s pledge of enabling Kenyans to own decent and affordable homes.
The Thika Municipal Manager, Gathii Kanyi, revealed that the county government aims to construct 25,000 housing units in the town. He expressed hope that the national government’s project would contribute significantly to this goal.
Kanyi also encouraged residents to take advantage of these housing projects as the county government plans to transform Thika into an industrial city.
