Mombasa: Residents of Mvita Constituency have been urged to take advantage of the Affordable Housing Programme and apply for units in projects being implemented in Mombasa County. Speaking during a sensitisation forum at Tononoka Social Hall in Mombasa, Mvita Member of Parliament Mohamed Soud Machele urged residents to familiarise themselves with the application and allocation process to avoid missing out on housing opportunities.
According to Kenya News Agency, the forum was organised to address concerns among Mvita residents that people from other parts of the county could take up housing units meant for them. Machele assured residents that the sensitisation exercise would equip them with the necessary information to participate in the programme and benefit from housing projects planned for the constituency. He mentioned that several affordable housing projects are in the pipeline in Mvita, starting with the two projects at Makupa Market and Hobley Road, with the latter set to provide about 1,800 housing units.
Machele added that once the two projects were completed, the programme would move to Old Town, where plans include the construction of a fish market and housing units. He emphasized that the projects were being implemented according to approved designs and standards, intending to benefit residents of Mvita. He highlighted the scale of the initiative, noting that 230,000 houses have been constructed so far, with the understanding that the demand is much higher given the country’s population.
Mombasa County Director for Affordable Housing Meshak Otieno noted that many residents were still not familiar with the process of acquiring affordable housing units. He stressed the importance of residents obtaining the necessary information to participate and benefit from the programme, explaining that allocation would be done on a first-come, first-served basis after an applicant had paid a five per cent deposit for their preferred unit.
Otieno also detailed the ongoing Nyali VOK Affordable Housing Project, which will comprise 1,938 units at a cost of Sh5.9 billion, with completion expected by March next year. The Hobley Road project is set to cost Sh4.5 billion and include 1,752 units. He mentioned additional projects in the pipeline, including a 2,148-unit development in Changamwe and a 153-unit project at Makupa, as well as plans to modernise Sega, Changamwe, and Jomvu markets.
The government is also investing in student accommodation projects across Mombasa County, with developments at Shanzu Teachers Training College, NYS hostels, and student accommodations at KMTC, Port Reitz, and Likoni TVC. Otieno highlighted the different categories of units available, allowing applicants to select based on their financial capability.
Residents like Maurice Ogutu Keno and Phyllis Keiza expressed their support for the initiative, recognizing the long-term benefits of home ownership. Keno emphasized the importance of owning a house for future generations, while Keiza appreciated the security and relief from rent payments that home ownership would provide.
