The ongoing Iten Affordable Housing Project is being viewed as a major opportunity to strengthen tourism and attract new investment in the internationally renowned athletics town in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Local resident and casual worker at the project site, Irene Kangogo, said the development will play an important role in expanding accommodation options for the growing number of foreign visitors who travel to Iten every year.
Known globally as the home of champions and a preferred training destination for elite athletes, Iten attracts tourists, runners and investors from across the world.
Kangogo said the new housing units will help meet rising demand for quality places to stay.
According to her, visiting foreigners who come for training camps, sightseeing or business opportunities often require comfortable and reliable accommodation, something the project is expected to support once complete.
Kangogo noted that besides short-term stays, the development could also appeal to investors looking for property ownership opportunities in the fast-growing town.
She said some international visitors may choose to invest in homes they can use during future visits or rent out when away, creating additional economic activity in the area.
The Phase One project, currently at 57 per cent completion as of April 12, 2026, includes four blocks of affordable housing units, social units, market spaces and supporting amenities such as a wastewater treatment plant, borehole and access infrastructure.
Kangogo added that improved roads leading to the estate will also make the area more accessible to residents and visitors, further enhancing Iten’s attractiveness as a tourism destination.
The project is the first major affordable housing development in Iten and is part of the government’s broader housing programme under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and Vision 2030.
Once completed, the project is expected to provide more than homes, offering a fresh platform for tourism growth, property investment and local business expansion in one of Kenya’s most celebrated highland towns.
