Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has repeatedly stressed the need to accommodate more people as the city’s population surges 7 million during the day and 5 million at night. With 13 county estates still holding single-dwelling houses on land that could host thousands of modern apartments, the county’s Housing and Urban Renewal Chief Officer, Lydia Mathia, says the transformation is not a matter of if, but when.

According to Mathia, redeveloping Nairobi’s county estates is no longer a policy option but a necessity.

“When these estates were developed, Nairobi had less than one million people. Today, we have 7 million during the day and 5 million at night. By 2050, we’ll be at 10 million. Where will all these people live?” she asked.

The plan, driven by Governor Sakaja’s administration, will replace low-density estates with high-rise apartments capable of housing thousands of families. For instance, in Woodley Estate, 43 old units that once sheltered fewer than 100 residents are being redeveloped into 1,975 modern apartments. Each tenant was compensated with KSh 900,000 to support relocation for the two- to three-year construction period and given an allotment letter guaranteeing them a new unit once the project is complete.

“We can’t ignore the dignity gap. Slums are growing because our estates no longer meet Nairobi’s housing demand. This renewal is both a moral obligation and a sacred calling. Anyone opposing it is standing in the way of the future,” Mathia emphasized.

She acknowledged resistance, particularly from families who have lived in county houses for generations and feel entitled to them. However, she urged residents to embrace the bigger vision.

“If your generation has benefited, is it not fair to think of the future too? From one single house, thousands of families can now live in dignity.”

The county is working with developers to ensure the original tenants are the first to be allocated homes once construction is complete.

“ Govenor Sakaja’s vision is to dignify as many informal settlements as possible and give Nairobians a chance to live better. Seeing these 13 estates reborn will be my greatest joy,” Mathia concluded.

The Nairobi Urban Renewal Project is targeting the redevelopment of key county estates, including Woodley, Bahati, Maringo, Jericho, Lumumba, Ziwani, Bondeni, Kariobangi, and Embakasi. Once complete, it is expected to redefine housing in Nairobi—transforming scarcity into opportunity and slums into vibrant communities.