Inside Governor Sakaja’s Plan to Deliver 60,000 Affordable Homes Across Nairobi’s Estates
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has unveiled an ambitious plan to construct 60,000 affordable housing units across nine county estates as part of the city’s ongoing Urban Renewal Programme. The initiative, anchored in the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan (NIUPLAN), is designed to revitalize aging public estates while expanding access to affordable housing for both rent and purchase. The estates targeted in the first phase include Bahati, Maringo, Jericho, Lumumba, Ziwani, Bondeni, Embakasi, Kariobangi North, Gigiri, and Woodley. To ensure minimal disruption to residents, redevelopment will be implemented in phases under a Joint Venture (JV) model, where the county provides land while private developers bring in financing, technical expertise, and innovation.
One of the flagship projects under the programme is Maringo Estate Phase II, which will transform 10 hectares into a mixed-development community comprising over 5,000 units. The project will feature a combination of townhouses and apartment blocks ranging from five to sixteen stories, alongside social amenities such as ECDE centers, commercial spaces, and green parks. Affordable units will make up 60% of the total, priced at capped rates: KSh 4.25 million for three-bedroom units, KSh 3.5 million for two-bedroom units, and KSh 2.5 million for one-bedroom homes. The remaining 40% will be market-rate units, also priced below prevailing market levels. In Gigiri Estate, the County plans an upper-income development on 0.4 hectares, comprising four-bedroom duplexes and low-rise apartment blocks complemented by leisure amenities including a clubhouse, swimming pool, and landscaped gardens.
Governor Sakaja’s housing plan aligns with Kenya’s Affordable Housing Policy under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). To support homeownership, the national government has introduced incentives such as a 1.5% Affordable Housing Levy, a reduced 5% deposit requirement, and flexible payment options through the Tenant Purchase Scheme (TPS). Buyers can also access low-interest mortgages via the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC). The county government has assured transparency in tendering and pledged to maintain high construction standards. With this plan, Nairobi City County aims not only to modernize its aging estates but also to bridge the housing deficit, promote inclusive urban growth, and make dignified living a reality for thousands of Nairobi residents.