County plans to build 10,000 units as housing forum begins

Kisumu will host an international housing conference from tomorrow, amid a housing crisis for its over one million people. 

The conference dubbed ‘Adequate and Affordable Housing for all’ will bring together all local stakeholders in the housing sector and selected experts from across the globe. The experts will discuss sector trends in the face of Sustainable Development Goals.

The conference comes at a time when Kisumu is racing against time to prepare for the Afri-cities summit to be hosted there in 2021.

In the run-up to the conference, Governor Anyang’ Nyongo's  government has announced plans to build 10,000 low cost houses. Construction will begin in June.

“We want to put mixed typology settlements with bedsitters, one and two bed-roomed units spread upwards. Mixed typology means we are going to have a varying range of income earners living together,” said Chief Officer in charge of Housing Steve Gome.

According to Mr Gome, the plan will see old municipal council bungalows flattened to give room for mixed high density residential homes in Arina, Argwings Kodhek, Kaloleni and Kibuye.