Local communities in Abakik, Bangali Sub County in Tana River, are set to benefit from houses through a work-home program by Conkrite Capital, a Canadian firm constructing an ambitious organic city in the area.
The once-quiet small settlement along the busy Garissa–Nairobi highway, where at least 150 community members, mainly pastoralists, settled for pasture and water from nearby earth dams, is now busy with heavy-duty machinery clearing the bushes and laying the foundation for the project.
According to the Conkrite Capital CEO Nicolas Del Valle, the city will incorporate residential, commercial and agricultural zones designed to create a self-sustaining community that aligns with environmental and economic sustainability goals.
Eco-homes, vocational training centres, renewable-energy facilities and regenerative farms will anchor the development that will give Abakik village a complete facelift, turning what was once a drought-stricken settlement into a centre of green innovation.
This project will enable the locals to live on safe, elevated land, work within walking distance, earn income, build equity, own property, grow food and participate in a new local economy.
The Sh39 billion project, which has also received the backing of the Tana River County government is expected to provide employment opportunities for residents in the surrounding communities, with part of their salaries being channeled towards paying for the house ownership.
“The locals will own homes here through what we call a work-home program. They will be working in the construction of the new city here and half of the proceeds of their work will go towards the ownership of the home,” Del Valle said.
“Just last night, we had a meeting with the Tana River County government and we agreed that this project is moving at an aggressive speed and they are willing to double the resources so that we can double the number of houses from 25,000 to 50,000 in the next 12 years. This is also going to create many opportunities for the local people here who have been at risk of floods during the rain seasons,” he added.
Del Valle said that the houses will provide relief for most residents in Tana River County who have experienced perennial flooding, leaving them with countless losses every cycle.
“The objective of the organic city is not only to create a city that is completely organic but also to satisfy the demands of the local communities, which is to house the people who are at risk of flooding,” he said.
Over the years, the Tana River County government has unsuccessfully tried to move people from flood-prone areas along the River Tana to safe highlands.
Locals said that while they were safe from floods in the high areas, there were no job opportunities in those areas, which are quite far from Garissa town, which is the main working area for most of them.
With the development and construction of the organic city and houses, and employment opportunities, residents will now have a reason to permanently relocate from flood-prone areas.
This project aligns with the County Government of Tana River’s broader goals for sustainable development, building on initiatives like the Green Heart Initiative (GHI), which promotes private sector involvement in sustainable land use and resource management in the rich Tana River Delta.
By Erick Kyalo
