President William Ruto has reiterated his commitment to the Affordable Housing Programme, dismissing critics and emphasizing its role in job creation and providing decent housing for Kenyans living in informal settlements. Speaking at Mabatini Grounds in Mathare Constituency on Tuesday during his working tour of Nairobi County, the President assured residents that slums in the area would soon be transformed into modern housing estates.
“Sometimes you fail to understand why some leaders are opposed to a project that has employed many young people and also enables them to own decent homes,” Ruto said. He stressed that the programme, despite opposition, would continue uninterrupted as part of the government’s broader agenda to uplift low-income earners and create economic opportunities.
The Affordable Housing Programme is a key pillar of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. The President noted that beyond providing homes, the initiative is a catalyst for employment, particularly among the youth. “We are determined to eliminate the indignity and squalor in slums through this programme, ensuring our people live in decent homes,” he added.
In addition to housing, President Ruto reaffirmed his commitment to uniting the country, citing his recent agreement with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a step towards inclusivity. He assured Kenyans that the government’s development agenda would be implemented across all communities, regardless of political or ethnic affiliations. “We don’t want tribal or discriminative politics anymore in this country. We will work hard to unite all Kenyans and aspire to create a prosperous country for all,” he emphasized.
The President also highlighted the government’s efforts to enhance service delivery by creating more administrative units. While commissioning the Deputy County Commissioner’s Office in Ruaraka, he stated that National Government Administration officers play a crucial role in coordinating national development.
Additionally, President Ruto announced the expansion and modernization of schools in marginalized and densely populated areas. At St. Teresa’s Girls Secondary School in Mathare, he committed to constructing 10 additional classrooms and promised to support the Nairobi County school feeding programme by providing a chapati-making machine.
The President also broke ground for the construction of Mabatini Primary School and the Mathare Vocational Training College, underscoring the importance of equipping young people with skills to drive economic transformation. He inspected the progress of classroom construction at Mathare Mixed Secondary School, further demonstrating the government’s commitment to improving education infrastructure.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, and several Nairobi MPs accompanied the President, urging unity among leaders to address the country’s challenges effectively.
