Kibra slum will be eradicated, not upgraded- President Ruto
The President said the changes are already visible and proof that the programme is on course.
President William Ruto has declared that the government will completely remove the Kibra slum, not upgrade it, as part of its plan to replace informal settlements with decent, affordable housing.
Speaking during a rally after inspecting the Soweto Affordable Housing project in Kibra on Friday, Ruto said the aim is to fully transform the informal settlement into a proper estate.
"We will not be upgrading this slum (Kibra), instead we will be eradicating it so that it is no more. And for those who doubted the government’s affordable housing initiative, haven’t we built the houses? Aren’t they progressing well?" he said.
The President said the changes are already visible and proof that the programme is on course.
"And to change the face of the slum to an estate, you can see the changes evidently before you," Ruto stated.
He noted that the project had created jobs for many young people in the area.
The President also revealed that the enumeration process in Soweto C and D is almost complete, with at least 11,000 residents expected to be listed.
Those listed will receive cards as proof of residency, which will be used to secure a house once construction is complete.
The government says this process ensures that real Kibra residents will be the ones to benefit from the new housing.
Ruto’s inspection of the Soweto housing units comes days after he handed over 1,080 houses to beneficiaries of the Mukuru Affordable Housing project in Embakasi South.
Built on 56 acres, the Mukuru site is the largest affordable housing project in the country, with a total of 13,248 homes.
