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Seven city estates set for overhaul in new plan


Seven estates in Nairobi County are set for a new look in a project set to begin next month.

County Housing minister Charles Kerich said the estates have been earmarked for construction of low-cost houses, with the groundbreaking set for September.

Old and New Ngara, Jeevanjee, Suna Road, Ngong Road, Bachelors Quarters and Pangani are among the estates targeted, with the projects already at an advanced stage.

“We will start with Pangani estate next month. It has already been awarded to Technofin as the developer and SS Malonza as the consultant,” said Mr Kerich.

Under the plan, he said, the county will not provide money but land to investors who will be expected to finance the projects in return for shares.

RECOUP MONEY

The developers will be given a 70:30 share agreement. Seventy per cent of the project must be low-cost housing then the 30 per cent can be slightly higher to give the investors a chance to recoup their money and make profit.

The developers will then be expected to build houses that range between Sh1 million and Sh3 million, but not Sh6 million as some of the houses that had already been designed cost.

“This is what an ordinary Nairobian might be able to afford over a long period of time,” said Mr Kerich.

In every estate there will be a separate agreement on how many houses are under the county and how many go to the developer.

“The ones that will remain with the county can either be made available for rent or low-cost housing for people to buy through our tenant purchase scheme. Some will also be made available for our staff to buy,” he said.

The official said after the projects the county will embark on a similar one in Eastlands involving county estates which have been clustered into three: Jericho, Lumumba and Maringo; Bahati and Shauri Moyo; and Gorofani, Bondeni and Ziwani.

RENOVATION

At the same time, the county will also kick start the process of renovation of three county estates in a bid to provide decent and affordable houses for residents living in informal settlements in the city.

The estates earmarked for upgrade include Kariobangi South, Huruma, Mukuru slums and Jamhuri with the process to start immediately the county gets money for the current financial year.

Mr Kerich said the plan had been ongoing but delayed because most of the estates had no title deeds, but the county has now processed the documents.