Mombasa: The government, through the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Public Works, has invested heavily in Affordable Housing Projects in the Port City of Mombasa as part of efforts to spur social and economic transformation.
According to Kenya News Agency, the ambitious projects are aimed at strengthening Mombasa’s position as the country’s second capital city after Nairobi and a key gateway to East Africa through the port, amid rapid urbanisation. A total of 10,000 housing units are expected to be constructed in Nyali, Mvita, Likoni, Kisauni, Changamwe, and Jomvu sub-counties under the transformative Affordable Housing Programme.
The latest housing project to be launched is the Makupa Modern Mixed Urban Development and associated infrastructure in Mvita Sub-County, costing Sh685 million. The project involves the redevelopment of the historic 106-year-old Majengo Market. The contractor is already on site, and the old structure has been demolished to pave the way for the redevelopment.
The Head of State laid the foundation stone during his recent development tour of the Coast region. The project is expected to be completed within 12 months. The redevelopment will transform the old market into a 13-floor mixed-use development comprising a modern market, residential units, offices, restaurants, food courts, conference and meeting rooms, a guard house, waste management facilities, and a power house.
The project is a testament to the government’s commitment to dignifying trading areas and promoting businesses. Similar mixed-use developments are set to be implemented at Sega and the Old Town Fish Market, both in Mvita Sub-County. Residents were also assured that the Sh20 billion Mwache Multipurpose Dam Project will be completed within the next six months. The project is currently 83 per cent complete and is expected to significantly reduce Mombasa County’s chronic water shortage.
The project aims to sustainably improve water security and build climate resilience by increasing bulk water supply and expanding access to water and sanitation services in the Coastal region. The project is designed to include a main dam, a lower check dam and an upper check dam. The main dam, with a height of 84 metres and a crest length of 526 metres, will have a storage capacity of 127 million cubic metres of water.
It will harness water from the Mwache River basin for the domestic water supply. The dam is expected to supply 186,000 cubic metres of water per day to the Port City of Mombasa and the expansive Kwale County. Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs Hassan Ali Joho lauded the redevelopment of the market, noting that previous regimes had neglected the facility.
‘A new modern market is coming up with residential units on top of it. I appeal to residents of Majengo and Mvita at large to register and own the housing units,’ stated Joho. He further praised the government’s efforts to resolve the emotive land issue in the Coast region through the National Land Titling Programme.
On his part, Abdulswamad Nassir said collaboration between the national and county governments was yielding results through the implementation of impactful projects. The governor noted that Mvita continues to face sewerage challenges due to rapid urbanisation.
‘We have agreed that while the construction of the modern market is ongoing, we will concurrently address the sewer problem. Our children will play in safe spaces, not in sewers,’ stated Nassir. Area MP Mohamed Machele revealed that most developers had connected their sewer systems to stormwater drainage and commended the Head of State for agreeing to construct a new sewer line.
In neighbouring Nyali Sub-County, the construction of 2,000 housing units is ongoing and is now 50 percent complete. The Sh7 billion project, which began in mid-February 2025, is expected to be completed within the next 18 months. The mixed-use development project, located on 23 acres of land in the upmarket Nyali suburb, involves the construction of 14 residential blocks comprising studio apartments, two-bedroom units, and three-bedroom units.
The project is expected to help address the housing deficit in the tourist city of Mombasa. The 14 high-rise blocks are also set to redefine the area’s skyline into a modern vertical city hub. At ground level, landscaped courtyards and pedestrian walkways will connect the blocks.
