Kenya: Govt to launch construction of 30,000 low-cost houses in Eastlands

The Government is set to launch a low-cost housing project that will see 30,000 houses constructed in Nairobi’s Eastlands area, as the ‘Big Four’ agenda takes shape.

The project targets to put up 5,000 houses in Shauri Moyo, 20,000 houses in Makongeni, 3,000 houses in Starehe and 2,000 units in Park Road estates. Construction of the Shauri Moyo, Makongeni and Starehe houses will kick off within six months while breaking ground for the 2,000 units on Park Road will be within three months.

State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu, said the team leading the regeneration of Nairobi has given itself a timeline of six months to undertake the project. Esipisu said the team also has a six-month timeline to improve Mbagathi and Mama Lucy hospitals by putting up accident and emergency facilities to reduce pressure on Kenyatta National Hospital.

The team would also oversee the upgrade of Mutuini Hospital to Level Four status as well as that of 10 other high-volume health centres. According to the State House Spokesperson, the regeneration of Nairobi team has also committed itself to ending traffic jams in the city by undertaking radical measures aimed at ensuring smooth traffic flow within the city.

These measures include full car-free days for Westlands and the Central Business District, a traffic management committee, the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system which would be put in place as well as the automation of bus termini and improvement of non-motorised travel. He said the launch of the Bus Rapid Transport would be preceded by the availability of 39 buses and infrastructure improvement on Langata, Waiyaki Way, Mombasa Road, Jogoo Road and Juja roads.

On the President’s Universal Health Coverage agenda, Mr. Esipisu said aggressive steps are being taken to ensure the plan works with the counties of Kisumu, Machakos, Isiolo and Nyeri that have been identified for a 100% pilot. He said the other 43 counties will also run pilots, involving 10,000 citizens per county.

“In collaboration with Cuba, the Government expects to launch this year a malaria vector control project in the counties where malaria is commonplace — as it starts to aggressively implement measures to significantly reduce or end malaria,” said the State House Spokesperson.

He said apart from Cuba sending 100 specialists in the areas of oncology, nephrology and dermatology, Kenya would also send 50 doctors to the Caribbean Island nation to train as specialists in these complex areas of medicine.