NAIROBI -Two of Kenya’s county leaders this month moved to strengthen their affordable housing plans by appointing new advisory panels. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and his Bungoma counterpart, Kenneth Lusaka, each named a County Rural and Urban Affordable Housing Committee with three-year mandates.
In Nairobi, Governor Sakaja selected Chris Abuga as non-executive chair. Abuga will be joined by County Executive Committee member for Housing, Patrick Mbogo, and Samuel Oloo, representing a local traders’ association. Grace Wairimu Ngugi will speak for residents via a recognised residential association, while Rose Ogonga fills the public slot. Lydia Mathia will serve as committee secretary.
Governor Sakaja said the panel “will provide vital guidance as we roll out affordable homes across the city.” He added that their local knowledge would help “ensure projects meet the real needs of Nairobi’s communities.”
In Bungoma, Mr Lusaka tapped Titus Wafula Makokha to lead the county’s equivalent committee. He will be supported by Salome Nanjala Bukania, Olando Were Haron and Cynthia Cherotich Prasis. The appointments, published in the Kenya Gazette on 30 April, take effect immediately.
The Gazette notice states: “The Chairperson and members of the County Rural and Urban Affordable Housing Committee [will serve] for a term of three years, on a part-time basis.”
Experts say such committees can bridge gaps between government plans and local concerns. Dr Susan Karanja, a housing policy analyst at the University of Nairobi, noted: “Local input is crucial if we are to avoid delays and cost overruns that have hampered other projects in the past.”
Critics, however, warn that advisory bodies sometimes lack real power. “Appointments are welcome,” said Humphrey Otieno of the Coalition for Affordable Homes. “But we need clear timelines and accountability if Kenyans are to see genuine progress.”
Both governors have pledged to press ahead with ambitious housing targets. Nairobi aims to deliver thousands of units within the next five years, while Bungoma is piloting schemes in both rural and urban centres.
As Kenya grapples with a widening gap between housing supply and demand, these new committees may prove pivotal. Their success or failure could shape the futures of thousands of families across two of the nation’s most populous counties.
