One of Kenya’s main goals is to provide affordable housing to the many people who live in deplorable conditions. According to the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Kenya Siddharth Chatterjee, 3D printed houses could be the answer to the housing shortage.
Speaking at a policy breakfast meeting organized by the Business Advocacy Fund and Strathmore Business School, the top UN official in Kenya said that the 3D technology is quick and affordable.
“A basic 3D printed house will cost about $4000 (KSh404,000) and it takes 24 hours to complete. When the houses are built on a large scale, the cost could come down to $1000 (KSh101,000),” said Siddharth.
Mr. Siddharth said that he has had talks with Mr. James Macharia the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Housing and Urban Development concerning the matter.
The UN supports Kenya’s ambitions in the Big Four agenda and Vision 2030. The UN agencies in the country, alongside the IMF and World Bank have set aside $1.9 (KSh190) billion toward the implementation of the social, political, and economic development programs in Kenya.
Siddharth Chatterjee lauded the move by the government to provide universal health care. “Millions of Kenyans are pushed into poverty due to out of pocket healthcare funding,” he said. The UN official emphasized the need to invest in preventive measures such as vaccines and public education on healthy lifestyles.
Siddharth noted that Kenya is on track to development even with the numerous challenges it faces such as corruption and mismanagement of public funds. “Kenya is on the right path. None of the development paths have been easy whether in Asia or Europe,” said the UN boss in Kenya.
