United Nations Office for Project Services has partnered with Uhuru Kenyatta’s government to deliver at least 100,000 affordable and sustainable homes across the country.
As part of the agreement, UNOPS and its partners will seek to attract $647 million worth of investment to commence and sustain the ambitious project.
On its part, the government has been tasked to deliver mass affordable housing project across the country with a focus on sustainability.
“Thousands of people in Kenya will be able to benefit from sustainable and affordable homes. By reducing the investment risks of development activities, we are helping to bring about new partnerships between the private and public sectors,” said UNOPS Executive Director, Grete Faremo.
UNOPS will initially invest $10 million in seed funding to kickstart the investment. The project has a total estimated gross development value of around $4.7 billion
The agreement is a major milestone in UNOPS commitment to fostering innovative financing for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and will help the government of Kenya open access to sustainable, affordable and environmentally sound housing for its citizens.
The 100,000 houses are to be constructed using green technologies and energy-efficient solar rooftops, while the implementation work will include local equipment, skills and expertise. The needs of local communities will be a key priority of the project, through the inclusion of public facilities including children’s playgrounds, schools and community halls.
“The knock-on effect means unlocking new opportunities and providing jobs for local communities, which all helps drive progress towards the SDGs,” added Ms Faremo.
Affordable housing is part of President Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda for the country by 2022. Others are: adequate food for all, universal healthcare coverage and opening up manufacturing sector.
“We are very excited about this project (with UNOPS) and we look forward to unlocking similar partnerships that will allow us to fulfill our duties as leaders and pave the way for adequate, decent, and affordable housing for Kenyans,” said President Kenyatta in a previous statement on the project.
