Ruto Commissions 1,080 Affordable Homes in Mukuru, Marking Kenya’s Largest Housing Project
Speaking during the handover ceremony of the housing units, President Ruto emphasized that the homes represented more than just shelter.
By Robert Assad
President William Ruto has described the commissioning of 1,080 new social housing units in Mukuru as “the most consequential day” of his political career, as he unveiled the first phase of Kenya’s largest real estate development in history — the New Mukuru Housing Estate.
Speaking during the handover ceremony of the housing units, President Ruto emphasized that the homes represented more than just shelter.
“These are not keys to open doors or houses; these are keys to homes,” he said in a statement posted on his verified social media platforms.
The 1,080 completed units form part of a massive 13,248-unit project under construction in Nairobi’s Mukuru informal settlement. Once complete, the New Mukuru Housing Estate will be the largest housing project ever delivered in the country.
The initiative is a flagship of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, aimed at uplifting low-income earners through improved housing, sanitation, and job creation.
President Ruto reiterated that the homes will not only provide secure shelter but will also enhance sanitation, security, and economic opportunities for residents, many of whom had limited access to dignified living conditions.
The project includes 5,616 bedsitter units in Phase 1 (Lot 01), while construction is ongoing for 3,024 one-bedroom units in Lot 02 and 4,608 two-bedroom units in Lot 03. The project is expected to significantly transform one of Nairobi’s most densely populated and underserved areas.
“This is Kenya’s Bottom-Up Moment!” the president declared, adding that more than 200 similar projects are currently underway across the country. These projects, he said, are collectively employing over 200,000 young people, offering both immediate income and long-term impact on housing and urban development.
President Ruto affirmed that his administration will continue to make bold and sometimes difficult decisions to ensure that every Kenyan has access to decent and affordable housing.
He also emphasized that the Mukuru initiative is just the beginning of a larger national plan that includes slum upgrading and the promotion of homeownership through public-private partnerships.
The Mukuru project, backed by government and private sector collaboration, reflects Kenya’s commitment to meeting its affordable housing goals under Vision 2030 and aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals on sustainable cities and communities.
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