Kenyans contributing to the Boma Yangu Affordable Housing Programme will soon be able to withdraw their savings.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works on Thursday, March 26, State Department for Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary Charles Hinga announced that it is working with Safaricom to develop a system that will allow contributors to access their funds if they choose to opt out of the programme.
"What you are saving towards house ownership is your money. We are putting in place a platform with Safaricom to allow Kenyans withdraw their funds," he said.
The committee raised concerns over multiple challenges affecting the programme, including accessibility, transparency, and the overall process of acquiring homes.
It questioned the effectiveness of the online platform, stressing the need for a seamless and user-friendly process that enables Kenyans to easily register and own affordable houses.
Read More
Committee Vice Chairperson Rindikiri Mugambi emphasized the importance of clear and accurate public communication regarding the programme.
"You have to relay accurate information to the public. For instance, can a person living in Kisumu own a House in Meru? You must assure Kenyans of ownership and the safety of their funds," he stated.
In response, Hinga insisted that Kenyans are free to purchase homes anywhere in the country, citing constitutional provisions.
"Under article 40 of the Constitution of Kenya, every person has a right to own and acquire property in any part of the country and it does not matter where you live or come from within Kenya," he added.
Members of the committee also raised concerns about the low visibility of the Boma Yangu platform, urging the government to engage content creators and media personalities to boost public awareness.
Further issues highlighted included delays in issuing sectional title deeds and inefficiencies in numbering housing units.
Legislators recommended that these processes be handled progressively and separately for each housing project to improve efficiency.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Affordable Housing Board, Joseph Kagicha, acknowledged the challenges and outlined plans to scale up public engagement.
"We will soon launch country wide activations starting with Nairobi so that we bring more beneficiaries on board. We haven’t done sufficiently but there’s a lot of work we are doing behind the scenes," he stated.
Kagicha added that the Board is working to resolve the concerns within 15 days and plans to organize an online webinar to brief Members of Parliament on the programme.
On delays in issuing title deeds, Hinga attributed the problem to the lengthy process of transferring mother titles to the Affordable Housing Board but assured lawmakers that progress is being made.
"The law is binding us and we now have a path. We already have a legal opinion from the Office of the Attorney General on transfer of mother titles. The head of Public Service is holding meetings to confirm when titles are being transferred," he noted.
Notably, the Affordable Housing Programme is one of President William Ruto’s flagship projects.
Since 2022, the programme has already delivered 3,171 completed units, including landmark projects such as Buxton Phase One in Mombasa (584 units), Nakuru Bondeni (605 units), Boma Yangu Mukuru (1,080 units), Boma Yangu Homa Bay (110 units), and housing for disciplined forces (792 units).
The housing initiative has also generated significant employment opportunities since its launch in 2022, creating more than 330,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Projections indicate that up to one million jobs will be generated over the course of the project cycle.
