Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja accompanied by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, on Friday, May 30 toured the Jeevanjee Bachelor Housing Project in Ngara — a flagship development under Nairobi’s urban renewal programme aimed at providing modern and affordable housing for city residents.

Speaking during the visit, Governor Sakaja expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress, stating that the first phase is expected to be completed by August this year.

“I am pleased with this project, which aims to provide modern housing for many. We will continue with this and other similar initiatives to ensure we are ready to accommodate more people as the city’s population approaches 7 million,” he said.

Mayor Hidalgo commended the Governor’s efforts, describing the housing initiative as a crucial step toward improving the quality of life in Nairobi.

“For a city to grow sustainably, such initiatives are essential. We support your vision to make Nairobi a better place for all,” said Mayor Hidalgo. “Governor, you are doing a commendable job with this urban renewal project.”

From an initial 80 units, the county has now developed 1,800, according to Housing Chief Officer Lydia Mathia, who added that the entire project is expected to be completed by 2026.

“384 units will be ready this August, followed by another 800 by the end of the year. The remaining units will be completed by September 2026. This is exactly what we mean when we talk about efficient land use — a single piece of land can give us this many houses. We will continue with similar projects in other areas,” she said.

Governor Sakaja also urged residents to pay what is owed to the county, noting that the push for land rates and the Unified Business Permit (UBP) is driven by the need to deliver better services and meet the demands of Nairobi’s rapidly growing population, now estimated at 7 million.

“I was having a conversation with the Mayor of Paris, and she confirmed that Paris, with a population of 2 million, operates on a budget of €9 billion,” Sakaja said. “In contrast, Nairobi, with over 7 million people, has a budget of just €230 million. This clearly shows the gap and why we continue to push for enhanced revenue through land rates, the Unified Business Permit, and other initiatives. More revenue means better services.”

He noted that despite surpassing last year’s revenue collection of KSh 12.8 billion, the city’s growth trajectory demands significantly higher investment.

“We are working to improve services for everyone, but to do so effectively, we must boost revenue. The more funds we raise, the more services we can provide to our residents,” he added.

The Governor also highlighted challenges, including cases where some tenants have refused to pay rent for years, saying such situations hinder the county’s ability to meet its revenue targets and deliver services.

“It is very unfair that some people can go for years without paying rent for county houses, yet we offer subsidized rates — far below what others pay for similar housing. We cannot allow this to continue. Let everyone pay their share so we can all help make Nairobi work,” he said.

The visit follows the recent signing of a Letter of Intent on Social Housing and the School Feeding Programme.