Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has outlined how the police will be integrated into the affordable housing programme.
This partnership is reportedly part of a plan to improve police welfare, with police officers tasked with identifying appropriate sites for the construction of houses.
Speaking at the National Police Academy in Embakasi on Friday, IG Kanja stated that those qualified in construction are set to be fully integrated into the system.
According to the IG, this approach will also lead to better management of resources, as police officers will be readily accessible should the need arise.
A representation of the Boma Yangu affordable housing project units.
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Boma Yangu
“We are at advanced stages of discussion with the Ministry of Housing. We want to benefit from the affordable housing where we have land in our police stations,” Kanja announced.
“Houses can be built to benefit the officers so that they can work and stay in their stations. I think that is a situation that all of you as commanders would like to see attained as soon as possible.”
On 18 December, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki announced that the affordable housing units would begin taking in occupants in January 2025.
Of the 200,000 available units, he stated that over 550,000 Kenyans had applied for the opportunity to live in the subsidised houses.
“Currently, the national annual demand for housing stands at 250,000 units against an annual market production of 50,000 units. To address this challenge, the government is implementing the affordable housing programme that includes the social housing project to cater to low-income earners,” Kindiki revealed.
This announcement came just a few days after the Lands Cabinet Secretary (CS), Alice Wahome, announced that the highly anticipated December move-in to the Mukuru housing units would be delayed.
According to her, this was due to delays caused by pending litigations and court cases barring the implementation of the housing levy, which was instrumental in the construction of the projects.
In her address, she remarked that Kenyans would have moved in by April.
“At the end of April, we will have people living here. We are hoping that we will be able to complete the remaining units in the next 60 days,” she said in her 14 December address.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome during the launch of Ardhi Sasa system in Murang’a County on July 8, 2024.
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Alice Wahome