State Department for Housing and Urban Development PS Charles Hinga said the move is aimed at closing the demand gap.
“The affordable housing board is under clear directive to deliver 45,000 units between now and December and a further 15,000 units early next year,” Hinga said.
Hinga said there has been a sharp increase in the demand for the affordable houses, telling off critics who are against the project.
The PS said some 300,000 houses were being constructed across the country in latest bid of curbing the housing deficit.
Kenya faces an annual deficit of 200,000 housing units, compounded by a rapid urbanisation rate of 4.4 per cent.
Hinga said the houses are being constructed on public land to make them affordable for Kenyans, adding that the cost of land is prohibitive.
He cited a 2017 World Bank report that showed the average cost of the house then was Sh11 million, way expensive for Kenyans.
Hinga said the cost of infrastructure is absorbed by the affordable housing board as part of cushioning Kenyans.
The PS at the same time denied claims that there has been withdrawal of funds under the Boma Yangu voluntary savings scheme, adding that the cumulative savings in the platform have more than doubled.
“Since the audit cut-off of May 2025: cumulative savings on the platform have more than doubled, from Sh2.47 billion to Sh5.47 billion; registered users have grown from 1.02 million to 1.26 million Kenyans; and at any given time about 30 per cent of registered users are actively saving toward units they wish to own,” Hinga said.
There have been reports in the local dailies claiming the refunds had overtaken the savings due to the withdrawals of Sh2.56 billion.
Affordable Housing Board CEO Joe Mutugu said the demand for housing was increasing.
“The biggest challenge is a high demand as the programme is real,” Mutugu said.
He said sectional titles were being processed and some of the owners have since received their ownership documents.
