The government has begun building its first student accommodation project under the Affordable Housing Programme, with Homa Bay County being the first beneficiary.

President William Ruto on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the Tom Mboya University Student Village, a facility that will provide 2,064 beds for learners.

The project aims to ease the shortage of safe and affordable student housing and replace poor living conditions faced by many learners.

President Ruto said it marks the first phase of a nationwide plan to provide 170,000 student beds in universities, technical training institutions, and medical training colleges across Kenya.

He explained that the initiative is part of the broader Housing Fund agenda, which has so far delivered 160,000 housing units in various stages of completion, along with more than 400 new markets in different parts of the country.

The student housing programme, he said, will allow learners to live on campus in secure, well-equipped spaces, helping to protect them from dangers often linked to off-campus housing such as theft, assault, and other safety risks.

“This is about giving our students the dignity and security they deserve so they can focus on their studies,” Ruto said.

Homa Bay is the first county to benefit from the plan, which will gradually be rolled out to other learning institutions nationwide.

Apart from improving student life, the President noted the project will boost the local economy by increasing demand for materials such as cement, steel, and quarry products, creating income for suppliers and workers.

Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga said the student village will have two modern hostel blocks one 9-storey building and another 14-storey commercial hostel integrated with learning and social facilities.

The project is expected to create more than 1,500 direct and indirect jobs, with priority given to local youth and women. The Homa Bay Jua Kali sector will also benefit from contracts worth about KSh285 million to supply items like doors and windows.

Tom Mboya University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Charles O. Ochola welcomed the development, calling it a major step forward for both the university and the country. He said the new housing will greatly improve students’ welfare and academic experience.