Kisii University has officially handed over a site for the construction of a modern student village under the national Affordable Housing Programme.
The student village project is expected to significantly ease the long-standing accommodation shortage at the institution and improve the quality of student life.
The project, which will be implemented through funding from the exchequer and the Affordable Housing Fund, will deliver a student village comprising 1,680 bed spaces within a construction period of about 52 weeks. University management and government officials described the development as a major milestone for the institution and a boost to higher education infrastructure in the region.
Speaking during the site handover ceremony, the university Vice Chancellor Prof. Nathan O. Ogechi, expressed gratitude to the national government under President William Ruto for extending the affordable housing initiative to public universities.
He noted that the planned student village goes beyond conventional hostels and is designed as a fully integrated living environment aimed at enhancing the overall student experience.
The student village will consist of multiple buildings with amenities tailored to support comfortable, dignified and modern student living. These include reliable water supply, internet connectivity and other essential services that are often lacking in off-campus accommodation.
The Vice-Chancellor highlighted that Kisii University currently has an active student population of more than 24,000, yet only about 500 students can be accommodated within existing on-campus hostels. As a result, the majority of students reside in surrounding neighbourhoods where housing quality and access to basic services vary widely.
“This project is about alleviating a serious and persistent problem,” the Vice-Chancellor said, noting that inadequate and poor-quality accommodation has long affected students’ welfare.
Beyond addressing housing shortages, the student village is also expected to enhance the university’s attractiveness to international students, supporting its internationalisation agenda and vision of inclusivity and borderless education.
“This is not just about beds. It is about creating a village that improves quality of life, strengthens our academic environment and positions Kisii University as a competitive global institution,” the Vice-Chancellor added.
Representing the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, Kisii County Housing Director Lynette Nyakiti confirmed that the government had officially handed over the site to the contractor.
She said the project will deliver 1,680 bed spaces alongside supporting infrastructure and praised the university for completing key preparatory work, including geotechnical and topographical surveys.
Nyakiti noted that the contractor has 14 days to mobilise and commence work on site, with the project timeline officially running from the date of handover. She added that a follow-up site meeting is expected within three weeks to assess progress.
“Time is ticking, and we are counting down from today,” she said, emphasising the need for strict adherence to timelines.
The Housing Director also underscored that the project is fully funded through public resources, drawing from taxpayers’ contributions via the exchequer and the Affordable Housing Fund. She stressed that the funding does not involve borrowing, describing the initiative as a direct investment by Kenyans into public education infrastructure.
Once completed, the Kisii University student village is expected to transform student accommodation at the institution, reduce pressure on surrounding neighbourhoods, and set a new standard for campus housing aligned with national development priorities under the Affordable Housing Programme.
Similar modern student villages under the national Affordable Housing Programme are also under construction at Kisii National Polytechnic, with a capacity of over 1,000 beds, as well as at Keroka Technical Training Institute, Riamo Technical and Vocational College (RTVC), Riragi Technical and Professional College, Kisii KMTC, and Nyamache KMTC, all within Kisii County.
By Misheba Alfred
