NAIROBI — President William Ruto has announced the recruitment of 4,000 graduate interns to support the Affordable Housing Programme, part of a broader strategy to scale up employment in the sector and fast-track project delivery.
Speaking Monday at State House during the official launch of the Affordable Housing Internship Programme, Ruto said the government is restructuring its approach to expand job opportunities for young professionals and accelerate the housing agenda.
“The Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Public Works has been directed to increase the number of professionals in the program from 320,000 to 600,000,” Ruto said. “We are creating more room for engineers, architects, quantity surveyors, and project managers fresh out of universities and technical institutions.”
The President confirmed that the government will double the number of consulting companies participating in the program from 39 to at least 70. This move, he said, is necessary to match the growing demand for affordable housing developments nationwide.
In addition, Ruto revealed that construction shifts will be expanded from one to two, allowing projects to run longer hours and absorb more labor.
“This approach will not only raise the workforce but also speed up delivery of housing units across the country,” he stated.
The internship program is part of the administration’s promise to tackle youth unemployment through targeted, skill-based placements. The interns will be deployed across various project sites to gain hands-on experience in the design, construction, and oversight of housing developments.
The Affordable Housing Programme is a flagship policy in Ruto’s administration, aimed at increasing access to low-cost housing for working-class Kenyans while stimulating job creation.
The President’s directive follows a broader plan by the government to expand its development footprint and respond to growing housing demand in urban and rural areas.
The State says the changes are expected to significantly improve both the scale and speed of the housing rollout, while preparing a new generation of professionals for long-term careers in the construction industry.
About the Author
