Machakos: Over 3,000 students at Machakos University are set to benefit from affordable hostel units thanks to a signed partnership between the university and the National Housing Corporation. The MOU aims to enable the University to expand its accommodation capacity from the current 500 students to 3,000, out of over 12,000 students enrolled at the institution.
According to Kenya News Agency, Vice Chancellor Prof. Joyce Agalo highlighted the challenges faced by students due to the lack of adequate hostel units, which limited access to key research ICT facilities and resulted in increased insecurity outside the campus. Prof. Agalo noted that the project, which will see the construction of 3,000 conducive and sustainable hostel units within one year, marks the first collaboration of its kind between a local university and the corporation.
On his part, the Corporation Managing Director, David Mathu, announced an investment of Sh1 billion to operationalize the MOU with the institution. Speaking in Naivasha, Mathu explained that the partnership will benefit the university by providing low-cost, sustainable housing units, as part of efforts to address the housing gap in universities. The MD also stated that the corporation’s strategic plan for 2023-27 aims to construct over 110,000 housing units in the country under the Universal Housing Programme.
Mathu further revealed that the Corporation will collaborate with the Public-Private International Financial Corporation (IFC) to construct 3,000 units in Machakos County on 150 acres of land, utilizing new technologies to ensure low-cost housing amidst rising construction costs.
Corporation Board Chairman Yusuf Shanzu emphasized that inadequate financing has been a persistent issue for universities, indicating that the partnership with Machakos University will provide a timely solution by offering low-cost hostel units compared to expensive private rental options. Shanzu remarked that the collaboration reflects a strategic decision to address the pressing need for adequate hostel facilities in Kenyan universities.