The national government has officially handed over a 2-acre parcel of land site to a contractor for the construction of affordable housing in Marsabit Town.
The KSh 670 million project will deliver 220 housing units and is expected to be completed in 18 months.
The land, owned by the National Housing Corporation and previously occupied by former County Council staff near KCB Bank, was handed over to the contractor by Marsabit County Commissioner Stanley Kamande.
He was joined by Ahmed Ali, the Affordable Housing Program coordinator for Marsabit and Mandera, and Tari Doti, Marsabit County government deputy secretary.
Speaking during the ceremony, Commissioner Kamande said the modern houses will help address the housing shortage in Marsabit town and improve residents’ living standards.
He urged the contractor, Mankos Agencies Ltd, to complete the project on schedule.
“The government expects this project to be done within one and a half years. We will provide security, Community and any other support needed,” Kamande said.
He also directed the contractor to prioritize local materials and labor to benefit Marsabit residents.
Ali echoed the call, asking the contractor to deliver on time and create jobs for locals.
Mankos Agencies Ltd pledged to complete the project within the stipulated period and confirmed it will give job opportunities to youths and residents from the county.
Ali disclosed other ongoing national government projects in Marsabit including: A KSh 360 million Modern Market in Sololo, Student hostels with 580 beds capacity in each constituency, Affordable housing units in Maikona and across all constituencies, construction of Livestock Market in Bubisa and construction of Karare University College administration block and nearly 1,000-bed capacity student hostel.
He called on residents and security agencies to support the projects for timely completion.
The county government welcomed the housing project.
Deputy County Secretary, Tari Doti said the project aligns with the government’s agenda to provide decent and affordable housing as a basic right.
“The project will address the housing challenge and create jobs. The county government will work with the national government and all stakeholders to ensure its success,” Doti said.
Meanwhile, about 10 families currently living on the 2-acre site have appealed to the government to follow due process and respect their rights in the eviction process.
They said that they have not received any eviction notice and have lived there for many years.
They requested for at least 6 months to find alternative housing.
The families also requested to be given first priority to benefit from the affordable housing units once complete.
Rashid Hassan Shabella, who has lived on the land for 25 years, and Laurence Wario Katelo and his wife Fatuma, who have lived there for 21 years, said they support the project but fear being displaced without proper notice.
Fatuma raised concerns over reports that other people in Marsabit Town are already being registered for the houses, while those currently on the land should be prioritized.
