Residents of Mukuru Kwa Njenga in Nairobi’s Embakasi South are set to begin a new chapter today as they receive keys to brand-new social housing units.
For the community, today is more than just moving day, it is a historic step toward safe, dignified, and affordable home ownership.
President William Ruto will preside over the official handover of 1,080 housing units to beneficiaries.
The event marks a major milestone under the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), with Mukuru now home to the country’s largest affordable housing project.
“The Mukuru handover marks a defining milestone in Kenya’s housing journey- proof that dignified living is possible for all,” said Ruto.
“As we say bye bye slums and usher in a new era of inclusive cities, Boma Yangu becomes more than a policy- it becomes home.”
Spanning 56 acres and comprising 13,248 housing units, the Mukuru project is a testament to the government’s commitment to providing dignified living spaces for all Kenyans.
The development features a mix of bedsitters (5,616 units across 26 blocks), one-bedrooms (3,024 units in 14 blocks) and two-bedrooms (4,608 units across 48 blocks).
These homes are designed to cater to various income levels, which are social housing for those earning Sh20,000 and below, affordable housing for those earning up to Sh149,000 and upper-middle-income units for higher earners.
Pricing is structured under a rent-to-own model where bedsitters go for Sh3,900 per month, one-bedroom (Sh4,000) and two-bedroom (Sh5,000).
Prices, however, exclude service charges, with water and electricity being billed separately based on usage.
According to Ruto, these monthly payments act as mortgage instalments, leading to full home ownership within 30 years.
Construction of housing units began in October 2022, with completion targeted for March 2026.
The Sh7 billion project is being built by three contractors-M/s Vaghjiyani Ent. Ltd (bedsitters), M/s Epco Builders Ltd (one-bedrooms) and M/s Top Choice Surveillance Ltd (two-bedrooms).
The land on which the project sits is located at Mukuru Met Site in South B, just off Enterprise Road.
The land valued at Sh5 billion, belonging to the Kenya Meteorological Department, had initially been grabbed before the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) reclaimed it.
It is said to have been grabbed by cartels 24 years before being subdivided into some five companies.
The commission recovered it in August 2020 after an 11-year court battle.
The Environment and Lands Court ordered the cancellation of title deeds issued to the companies for the land, noting that the evidence in court proved the land was illegally transferred.
Residents will enjoy added modern amenities, including reticulated gas supply for cleaner, safer energy and in-built automatic gas leakage detectors for enhanced safety.
Registration for units is done via the Boma Yangu platform or by dialling *832#, with a strict “one house per ID” policy.
This transformative initiative is part of the government’s broader goal to build over 200,000 housing units annually, addressing Kenya’s housing demand, estimated at 250,000 units per year.
