On 24 May 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony marked the launch of the Makasembo Housing Estate, an affordable housing project in Kisumu, Kenya.
The project, implemented by LapFund, a 50-year-old retirement benefits scheme, aims to address the housing needs of low and middle-income earners in the lakeside city.
Located on an 11.68-acre land, the project will replace 50-year-old council houses and feature residential houses, a pre-school, landscaped gardens, communal areas, parking, high-speed lifts, a borehole, and solar power.
Ms Sellestina Kiuluku, chairperson of the LapFund Board of Trustees, stated that the cleared grounds will be home to over 1,870 households in an ultramodern mixed-use development.
The project comprises 180 one-bedroom, 100 two-bedroom, and 290 three-bedroom units, as well as 544 parking spaces.
Additionally, there will be 600 two-bedroom and 700 three-bedroom units in the medium-cost range, with 120 parking slots.
The starting price for the units will be Sh1.8 million.
Mr David Koross, the CEO of LapFund, said, “This development ties into the Big Four agenda on affordable housing and creation of employment.”
Opportunities ¶
The retirement scheme aims to spur greater economic growth in Kisumu County, create opportunities for financiers, and offer affordable decent homes to improve the living standards of residents.
Ms Kiuluku added, “We are looking to create employment for residents of Kisumu as we collaborate with the county government to [find] labour and raw materials locally and especially from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.”
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga, who presided over the groundbreaking ceremony, lauded the project for responding to the needs of the people who have moved to towns.
He said, “We need proper plans which have schools, health, leisure and recreational facilities. This kind of development is a good one especially for the middle-income earners.”
The county government and development partners are building affordable houses to help locals own homes and ward off the rise of informal settlements.
Governor Anyang Nyong'o said his administration is attuned to the challenges of urbanisation.
Kisumu County is focusing on creating an enabling environment for investors who want to build affordable houses.
He added, “We are focused on [providing] public land both in the rural and urban areas to investors for housing and settlement.”
