Nyeri: The government plans to construct 100 houses at the Kiganjo Police Training College under the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP).
According to Kenya News Agency, Nyeri County Director of Housing and Urban Development, Francis Thuku, stated that these houses are part of the 560 police houses earmarked for construction across five counties, aiming to provide dignified and modern housing for officers in the disciplined forces. “Kiganjo Police College has been earmarked for the project. We are to do 100 units. Currently, the project is at evaluation stage,” Thuku said.
Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is set to construct 130 units in Nairobi County for General Service Unit officers at State House. Additionally, the State plans to construct 60 housing units at the Kisii GK Prison and the Sondu Police station, along with 150 units at the Garissa Police station and Administration Police Camp and 100 units at the Kajiado police station. In Nakuru County, 60 units will be constructed for the Anti-Stock Theft Unit personnel in Gilgil.
Thuku, who spoke during the Nyeri County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee meeting, mentioned that besides the Police Service, the state department will also establish 4,216 hostels for six tertiary education institutions in the county under the Student Accommodation plan. Nyeri National Polytechnic will benefit from 1,216 units, and the Kenya Medical Training College in Kiahungu, Mukurwe-ini Constituency will see the construction of 580 units.
“We have received a notification of intention to award for the Nyeri National Polytechnic. For the Kiahungu KMTC, the project has already been awarded, and we are also planning to do public participation and hand it over to the contractor,” Thuku said. The state will also construct 680 units at Kagumo Teachers Training College in Tetu Constituency at a cost of Sh259 million, while in Kieni, Sh210 million will be spent to construct 580 student accommodation units. Other institutions that will benefit include Mathenge Technical Training Institute and Mathira Technical Training Institute, with 580 units each.
Thuku further informed the committee that the state department has started allocating houses at the Blue Valley affordable housing project Phase I in Nyeri town. The 381 houses, categorized into social housing, affordable housing, and market housing, are under construction at a cost of Sh877 million. “We have already opened a marketing office on site and brought on board some marketers. Booking is being done online through www.bomayangu.go.ke. Once the client makes a 5 per cent deposit payment, allocation is done for units that have attained the 20 per cent completion,” explained Thuku.
On the other hand, the Ruring’u AHP, where 468 units are under construction at a contract sum of Sh1.4 billion, is at a 44.5 per cent completion rate. Thuku noted that both housing projects have opened numerous employment opportunities for the community and youth residing in the county. “Currently, we have engaged 285 workers in Blue Valley and 450 in Ruring’u. We have interns, attachees, and another group benefiting from Recognition of Prior Learning through accreditation from the National Industrial Training Authority,” he noted.
The county director revealed that plans are underway for the commencement of the Karatina affordable housing project, where 680 units will be constructed at a cost of Sh1.6 billion. “The project has been awarded, and we are in the process of handing it over to the contractor who is already on site,” he said.