Kakamega: The Government is set to construct a Sh155 million modern hostel at Kivaywa Boys High School in Lugari Constituency, Kakamega County, under the Affordable Housing Program. The hostel, with a capacity of 120 cubicles, will accommodate between 320 and 640 students, easing accommodation challenges at the school.
According to Kenya News Agency, during the site handover event to the contractor Lunarscape, Lugari lawmaker Nabii Nabwera commended President William Ruto for selecting the school as a beneficiary of the Affordable Housing Program. He highlighted the project's significance in uplifting the school's status, noting the inclusion of modern amenities such as hot water showers and a backup generator.
Nabwera expressed gratitude towards the President for fulfilling his promise, emphasizing the project's scale, typically seen in universities. He also advocated for the reallocation of generator installation funds to support the ongoing solar power project at the institution, aiming to generate adequate power for the school's needs, including cooking in the kitchen. Additionally, he proposed integrating a water component into the project to ensure adequate water supply for the school and surrounding communities.
Nabwera reiterated his commitment to transforming Lugari by improving education standards, infrastructure, and electricity connectivity, fulfilling his pre-election pledges.
Affordable Housing Program Western Region lead Rodgers Wakhungu revealed that the hostel will have a capacity of 320 beds if the school opts for two students per cubicle or 640 beds for four students per cubicle. The project is expected to create numerous job opportunities for Kivaywa residents, with 70 percent of the labor force sourced locally. Wakhungu also mentioned that the informal juakali sector will benefit as doors and windows for the hostel will be procured from local artisans.
School principal Lichuma Lewis praised the Affordable Housing Program for significantly improving the school's accommodation facilities. He expressed gratitude to the President and the Member of Parliament for the dormitory project and looked forward to its completion to support student enrollment.
Dr. Jaluo Murunga, a member of the school's Board of Management, described the project as a milestone achievement, stressing that it would be unattainable for parents alone, even over a span of 20 years.