As the Kenya Kwanza administration enters its third year in power, the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) is proving to be one of the most transformative initiatives for ordinary Kenyans.
Since 2022, the programme has generated over 330,000 direct and indirect jobs, with Ksh11 billion ringfenced for Jua Kali artisans and MSMEs engaged in housing and market projects.
From welders and plumbers to local suppliers of sand, cement, and food, thousands of livelihoods are being sustained.
“We are on course to achieve a goal of two jobs per housing unit – one directly onsite and another indirectly in the wider economy,” says Charles Hinga, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Housing and Urban Development.
Across 44 counties, more than 195,000 housing units are under construction, turning idle spaces into busy sites of economic activity.
For many Kenyans, the dream of homeownership is no longer distant. The government began selling units in November 2024, releasing 4,888 homes across 24 project sites.
Through the Pata Makao na Boma Yangu scheme, prospective homeowners register on the Boma Yangu platform with a Ksh 200 activation fee, then save towards a 5 percent deposit of their chosen unit.
For families, it’s more than just shelter – it offers stability and a chance to invest in the future.
Beyond individual homes, the AHP also prioritizes institutional housing. There are currently 12,709 housing units completed or underway for security service personnel, while student villages targeting 177,686 student beds have been proposed to ease accommodation shortages in public universities and colleges.
The programme extends further to local markets. Under the National Markets Development Programme, the government has rolled out plans to build 400 modern markets countrywide.
Already, 237 ESP markets and 39 modern markets are at various stages of completion across 212 constituencies, with 21 metropolitan markets also in the pipeline.
These projects aim to dignify traders’ workspaces and boost economic recovery at the grassroots.
Through jobs created, homes delivered, and markets built, the Affordable Housing Programme is reshaping lives and revitalizing local economies. For countless Kenyans, it represents not just walls and roofs, but dignity, opportunity, and hope for a more secure future.
