NAIROBI, Sept 6 (NNN-KBC) — Women and youth are taking centre stage in Kenya’s Affordable Housing agenda, forming nearly 75 percent of the workforce across Affordable Housing sites nationwide.
From brick and mortar to running supply chains, these Special Interest Groups have now become the face of one of Kenya Kwanza administration’s flagship projects.
At the Lumumba Affordable Housing site in Kisumu County, activity is in full swing as the workers erect the blocks that will house 2,348 units of the Affordable Housing programme.
Launched in May last year by President William Ruto during his Nyanza tour, these towering structures reflect the momentum of a project set to be completed by January 2026.
But behind the concrete and cranes are stories of transformation, women and youth who, after toiling for years in joblessness, have bagged themselves an opportunity.
From plumbing and metalwork to shadowing project managers, these roles are now a lifeline.
And it’s not just on-site. With nearly 1,500 workers clocking in daily, food vendors have set up shop, feeding the workforce and fueling their own businesses.
A story replicated at the Pioneer Affordable Housing site in Eldoret at Kidiwa site, where we meet Ochieng’ Lwanda from Migori County, a final-year Bachelor of Arts in Geography student at Moi University.
He’s taken up welding and fabrication, gaining hands-on experience while earning a living.
His story echoes a growing call by the Special Interest Groups who are calling for faster rollout of the Affordable Housing Programme to ensure long-term sustainability.
Meanwhile, during our tour, we witnessed completed units in Soy, Emgwen, and Vihiga constituencies, each with 220 homes, ranging from studio to two-bedroom apartments. — NNN-KBC
