Nairobi: The Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development has made home ownership a reality for a lady who was thrown out of a rental house due to rent arrears. The formerly homeless woman, Milka Moraa, has become a forerunner of Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme after receiving a house through the government-backed affordable housing initiative.
According to Kenya News Agency, Moraa, who previously faced housing challenges including congestion in her small shanty in Mukuru Kwa Njenga Nairobi, will soon move into a more spacious unit promised with amenities, conducive and secure environment. This opportunity arose thanks to a collaborative effort led by police officer Corporal Sammy Ondimu and the State Department for Housing and Urban Development.
At a press conference organised by the Ministry at Ardhi House Nairobi on Wednesday, Moraa expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “I thank God for this chance and for those who have supported me,” she said. Her story gained national attention after she was allegedly evicted from her previous residence by a Nairobi televangelist, with her door welded by the landlord. Following this, she found temporary refuge with a well-wisher before being identified as a beneficiary of the Affordable Housing Programme.
Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary (CS) Alice Wahome stated that the Affordable Housing Programme aims to address Kenya’s housing crisis by delivering 200,000 units annually. According to Wahome, 1,080 units in Mukuru Kwa Reuben will be ready for allocation in the next two months, with a total of 4,800 units set for completion across various projects by March, with Moraa being the first beneficiary of the project set to settle in her new home by then.
The CS emphasised that the programme is designed to cater to both low-income earners and people at higher economic statuses, a scope that will include every social class in the country. “This initiative is set to favour every single Kenyan, it is a project meant for us,” the CS affirmed. Wahome, on behalf of the government, reassured Kenyans that strict measures are in place to ensure the houses go to deserving individuals.
“With plans to expand the programme to every corner of the country, the government remains committed to its goal of constructing one million housing units over the next five years, a move expected to significantly reduce slum populations and improve living conditions,” said the CS. Wahome stated that the initiative’s goal is to eradicate slums, not to upgrade them.