Smart resilient cities and urban dwellings must provide quality services to the residents as well as be responsive to emerging unforeseen situations while playing a critical role in enabling dignified habitation conditions as captured in the spirit of UN Urban Development agenda and explicitly captured in the Governor’s manifesto.
This vision cannot be fulfilled in the absence of quality affordable housing which is a fundamental component of the UN Agenda 2030.
In his 10-point agenda manifesto, Governor Nyong’o promised to change the of Kisumu where residents will trade in habitable dignified environments while living in affordable housing of the future. To be specific, he promised to re-engineer the housing sector introducing 10,000 new houses by 2022, a vision tied to the presidential Big 4 Agenda.
That journey today found a short in the arm of rebuilding of Makasembo Estate with new a new vertical housing development of 1700 units funded by Lapfund.
Today’s ceremony officiated by the Governor and graced by a team from Lapfund headed by the fund CEO Mr. David Koros was to appreciate the residents of Makasembo for buying into the Governor’s renewal agenda and accepting to relocate to allow for the commencement of the project.
The appreciation, a culmination of an engagement process with the former residents spearheaded by the city management and the county directorate of public participation saw the residents walk away with a resettlement benefit to cushion them for about 24 months. Part of the Resettlement Action Plan was the signing of an MOU that will see the residents accorded the first rights of ownership once the project is completed.
This new housing scheme coming hot on the heels of Anderson Estate regeneration project will cost 3.5 billion shillings on the 10-acre prime land where only 128 households have been residing.
The units will comprise of one bedroom at a cost of 1.6million, two bedrooms at 2.5million and three bedrooms at 3.5 million.
While addressing the residents, Governor Nyong’o reiterated his unrelenting commitment towards the realization of affordable housing to the residents of Kisumu.
Noting that the initiative is backed up with policies that are enshrined in the 2010 Constitution and the big four agenda, he to pledged carry out his mandate to ensure residents of Kisumu live, and trade in a clean, healthy environment with proper housing.
He commended the Lapfund team for designing an integrated urban housing with play grounds, shops, car parks among other social amenities as an indicator to proper planning that Kisumu is currently working towards.
“A person who cannot appreciate our past, cannot build our future, but through unity and development we will prosper” said Governor Nyong’o
The Governor also applauded the Makasembo residents for joining in the journey of changing the face of Kisumu.
Mr. David Koros on his part thanked Governor Nyong’o for his support right from when negotiations began with the residents in 2019 to date Lapfund showed interest to develop the parcel of land.
He stated that through the transparency portrayed during engagements and negotiations, a tripartite MoU was signed between the residents, the developer and the county government. Mr. Koros promised to fulfill every clause in the MoU calling on other parties to meet their part of the bargain within the agreed period of 24 months.
The CEC Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Dixon Obungu urged the residents to accept change especially on urban regeneration where modern houses will be constructed for people to live in improved affordable housing.
