Kenyans urged to apply for affordable housing units; here is the procedure

Kenyans urged to apply for cheap government houses; here is the procedure

Tony Mukere

July 26, 2019 12:00 PM

500,000 houses to be built

President Uhuru Kenyatta in impromptu visit to inspect affordable housing projects in Nairobi

Kenyans have been urged to register for the Affordable Housing Scheme that is part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda.

Registration is strictly reserved for Kenyan citizens who have attained the age of 18 years and who have acquired a national identification card.

The process is being presided over by, Huduma Kenya, the one stop shop for GoK services, which has created the website www.bomayangu.go.ke to facilitate the process.

You can either register on the website, or through USSD code *688#. There is also the option of physical registration at the nearest Huduma Centre.

Prosecpective home onwres are required to fill their profile by providing their identification information and providing a copy of either a KRA PIN, ID, or a birth certificate – online applicants will scan and upload the document.

Once the profile is complete, the next stage is contributions which could either be under the voluntary programme or under the mandatory contributions.

The mandatory contributions have stalled after the High Court stopped the government from making deductions from employed Kenyans.

GoK is seeking to take 1.5 percent of workers’ gross salary in the formal sector – an amount that would be matched by the employer and allocated to the affordable housing fund.

However, there is an option of voluntary contributions which are not capped.

The contributions will be used to construct 500,000 affordable housing units which will be availed to contributors after completion of each project.

Starehe

The governments says the first phase will see 28,800 units constructed in Shauri Moyo (5300 units), Starehe (3500 units), and Makongeni (20,000 units).

Priority will be given to registered Kenyans who have given accurate and truthful information in their profile, and who have been consistent in making contributions (at least 12.5 percent of the value of the house).

Those who meet the requirements will subjected to a lottery in picking the winners of the house.

The government has insisted that those who will not have received a house within after fifteen years of making contributions will have their money returned to them without taxation.

Tony Mukere