The County Government of Nakuru has assured that all homeowners under the affordable housing project will be issued with sectional title deeds.
The devolved unit’s administration has indicated that it is collaborating with the Affordable Housing Board (AHB) to fast-track the processing of sectional title deeds for individual housing units, a move aimed at strengthening home ownership under the affordable housing programme.
While indicating that over 1,000 units were complete and ready for occupation across the devolved unit, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development Mr John Kihagi noted that the collaboration with AHB will ensure purchasers of affordable homes receive timely and legally compliant documents confirming ownership.
“The documents will guarantee the homeowners full ownership of their houses. I want to assure residents that proper measures and policies have been put in place to ensure every Kenyan who acquires a house unit under the programme gets full ownership of the property,” stated the CECM.
Speaking at the County headquarters during a meeting that brought together officials from the State Department of Lands and Physical Planning, members of the Affordable Housing Board, as well as planning and survey consultants, Mr Kihagi pointed out that the Affordable Housing agenda was not just about putting up structures but giving Kenyans a chance to own property and secure their future.
“The government will be issuing sectional title deeds. It is the same government that gives titles everywhere, so nobody should mislead Kenyans that they will not fully own their units. it is the government that brought about sectional titles guaranteeing ownership of the houses under the Affordable Housing initiative,” he affirmed.
Mr Kihagi dismissed those opposing the programme as propagandists, saying they are misinforming Kenyans who are the target of the initiative.
“When you see slum areas like Bondeni in Nakuru Town East Sub-County and Karagita in Naivasha Sub-County being transformed as a result of the affordable housing project, then you wonder why some people are so blinded that they don’t want to reason. It becomes so unfortunate to hear someone opposing such great strides,” regretted the CECM.
Mr Kihagi said those misleading Kenyans that the ownership of the houses under the programme will not be legitimised are spreading unnecessary fear and should be ignored.
He called out critics questioning the legitimacy of the housing project, asserting that claims suggesting the absence of title deeds are baseless.
“Even if you are not on the ground floor, even if you are on the fifth floor, the law allows the government of Kenya to issue you a sectional title,” he assured.
Kenya’s real estate laws have changed significantly in recent years—especially with the enactment of the Sectional Properties Act, 2020. This law now requires apartment and multi-dwelling unit owners to convert their properties from long-term leases to sectional titles.
Mr Kihagi indicated that the sectional titles will allow families to build generational wealth while ensuring security of tenure, adding that for the first time, Kenyans benefiting from Affordable Housing will have legal documents proving ownership.
He expressed confidence that the Karagita Phase II and Buffalo Mall affordable housing projects within Naivasha Sub-County are on track for completion by early next year.
Mr Kihagi stated that investments in the affordable housing programme are creating a multiplier effect where direct and indirect benefits to the country include job creation, improved health and safety and increased household resilience.
He indicated that the affordable housing programme is designed to ensure that low-income earners are able to own homes through the National Tenant Purchase Scheme or rent-to-own payment options.
Mr Kihagi noted that the right to housing is enshrined in Kenya’s Constitution under article 43 (1) (b), which stipulates that all the citizens have the right to accessible and adequate homes and to a reasonable standard of sanitation.
He said the affordable housing project was promoting economic recovery by linking Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the Jua Kali sector as suppliers of various inputs, such as hinges, doors and windows, among others, to housing projects.
Nakuru is among 23 counties that have provided land for the affordable housing programme. It has been grappling with housing shortages for years. There is a shortfall of both residential and commercial units.
According to the 2024 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) report, Nakuru requires at least 10,000 housing units to meet the current demand. However, only about 3,000 units are available, creating a shortfall of 8,000 units.
The rapid urbanisation rate, he pointed out, was resulting in an average national annual housing demand estimated at 250,000 units.
He said the average national annual housing supply is approximately 50,000 housing units, leading to a deficit of about 200,000 housing units per year and a cumulative backlog of 2 million housing units.
“The Government initiated the Affordable Housing Programme that targets the delivery of decent and affordable housing to low- and middle-income households.
The Programme commits to deliver 200,000 housing units per annum by activating projects across the Nation; as well as increase the number of mortgages from the current 30,000 to 1,000,000 with favourable ownership terms that have monthly repayments of as low as Sh5,000,” he said.
The Bondeni housing project comprises 45 one-bedroom houses which are selling for Sh1.55 million, 180 two-bedroom units which are going for Sh3.25 million and 380 three-bedroom units which cost Sh4.3 million per unit.
In Naivasha 2,000 units are being constructed on a 55-acre parcel of land along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway near GK Prisons, targeting workers earning between Sh15,000 and Sh150,000.
The affordable housing project in Bahati sub-county consists of 60 studio units, 20 one-bedroom units, 120 two-bedroom units and 20 three-bedroom units, while another, 220-unit project in Molo-sub- County are on course.
By Jane Ngugi
