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Mukuru slum to get 13,000 houses in Sh15 billion plan

 Mukuru slum in Nairobi.

Nairobi’s Mukuru slums will be upgraded in a Sh15 billion programme through which 13,000 new housing units will be built. 

The Cabinet approved the project last week on Thursday.

The Mukuru Social Housing Project will be undertaken jointly by the government and private investors.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said this is part of his affordable housing programme, which is part of the Big Four agenda.

The housing project in Mukuru is not included in the ongoing affordable housing by Nairobi County Government that will take place in seven city estates.

Mukuru has been an area of focus by the Nairobi Metropolitan Service.

NMS Director-General Mohammed Badi has been making impromptu visits in Mukuru as he inspects the ongoing developments projects, which include the construction of the first tarmac road.

Youths from the area were also hired for hand-packing construction of road base, which empowers them economically.

In August, 2017, the Nairobi City County (NCC) officially declared Mukuru as a Special Planning Area (SPA) – putting a stop to any further development in the area for a two-year period until a Mukuru Integrated Development Plan is produced.

Residents in Mukuru had not only faced persistent evictions but did not have access to basic essential services at an affordable cost.

Among the many objectives of the declaration was to develop ways which would promote the safety and health of the residents.

Nairobi Metropolitan Service Director General Mohammed Badi in a meeting on May 21, 2020 at KICC.
Nairobi Metropolitan Service Director General Mohammed Badi in a meeting on May 21, 2020 at KICC.
Image: COURTESY

In July, DG Badi reported that works were progressing smoothly and uninterrupted in Mukuru.

He also noted that the Special Planning Area Framework had been extended for a further two years.

“I wish to report that Mukuru informal settlement Renewal Programme is well underway and we have extended the Special Planning Area Framework for the area for a further two-year period," Badi noted.

Three sector plans – water and sanitation, roads and drainage, and electrification - were finalised and implementation commenced in May, 2020,” he added.

Mukuru will also benefit as NMS announced to build 24 health facilities at a cost of Sh2 billion across all informal settlements in Nairobi.

To curb the spread of Covid-19 and improve water accessibility, the Badi-led team has set up 1,633 water points in the city's slums: Kibera has 1,185, Mathare 60 and Mukuru Kwa Njenga 388.

NMS has also collaborated with Athi Water Works to ensure there is an equitable supply of water in underserved areas.

This has seen the drilling of boreholes, with one at Mukuru Kwa Njenga Primary School and Mukuru chief's camp.

Residents are now able to access water despite the water rationing programme that has hit Nairobi since 2017.

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