Kibra Affordable Housing Project Transforms Lives as Residents Gain Jobs, Skills

The Affordable Housing project in Kibra is creating employment opportunities and new skills for residents while offering families the prospect of moving into better living conditions, according to beneficiaries working on the development.

David Msili, a Kibra resident working in consultancy at Zone B, says the project has changed lives by creating jobs, building skills and giving families hope of moving into better homes.

“The project is now about 82 per cent complete, and it has provided me with steady work since 2024,” Msili said.

Msili says many young people who were previously unemployed have found opportunities on the project, including qualified engineers, architects and surveyors, while others have gained practical skills in plumbing, electrical work and construction.

“Some workers joined with little experience but have since grown into skilled fundis,” he said.

The impact has also reached women vendors who sell food to workers at the site, creating a wider source of income within the community.

“The opportunities created by the project have reduced idleness and contributed to a decline in crime in the area,” Msili said.

He adds that many of the workers are also housing beneficiaries and have been able to save gradually towards their homes.

“For families currently living in cramped spaces, the project offers the prospect of better living conditions and an end to challenges such as muddy surroundings, poor sanitation and flying toilets,” he said.

Msili says the project has also strengthened inclusion by directly involving residents of the informal settlement in the development taking place around them.

He encouraged young people and women not to look down on construction work, saying it can provide income, skills and independence.

“Young people and women should not look down on construction work because it can provide income, skills and independence,” he said.

Msili thanked President William Ruto for the project and urged the Government to continue investing in housing and infrastructure.

“I thank President William Ruto for the project and urge the Government to continue investing in housing and infrastructure. The benefits are already visible on the ground and should not be overshadowed by claims that the project is not working,” he said.