Pangani affordable housing project to be ready next year

A Sh5 billion government-led project to redevelop houses at Pangani estate, Nairobi, is expected to be completed by June next year.

The developer of the project, Tecnofin, has given a timeline for the construction of the 1,562 new units.

The estate had 48 houses, which have now been replaced with eight blocks of one, two and three-bedroom units.

Of the 1,562 units, 952 are for affordable housing while 610 are commercial and being sold by the developer.

Yesterday, previous residents of the old houses were at the estate to be allocated the new units as per the agreement between them and the Nairobi County government, a function that is now under national government through the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).

David Sirma, who is in charge of administration at Tecnofin, said the first block of the project is 99 per cent ready.

“We are only waiting for the lifts to be installed and people can move in,” he said.

Four more blocks will be done by September this year when the 48 tenants are expected to move in.

The remaining three blocks will be ready by June 2023.

The one-bedroom apartment is selling at Sh1 million, two-bedroom at Sh2.5 million and three-bedroom unit at Sh3 million. These prices are for those purchasing through the government’s Affordable Housing Programme.

However, the developer is also selling three-bedroom units at Sh9 million, which are fully-furnished duplexes. The price is discounted by Sh1 million.

“The affordable part is already sold out,” said Sirma.

Marion Rono, deputy director in charge of housing and urban renewal at NMS, said they have picked from the project.

“This being the pioneer affordable housing project for NMS, we have huge lessons. One of the critical things we have learnt is that government can work very well with the community,” she said.