Migori County sets aside land for affordable housing

A hotel establishment in Migori. The town is growing rapidly. [File, Standard]

Migori County government has set aside 4.47 hectares (ha) of land for the development of 2,000 affordable housing units, in partnership with the State Department for Housing and Urban Development.

Governor Ochilo Ayacko's administration seeks to develop affordable housing units across its major urban centres of Awendo, Kehancha, Rongo and Migori towns.

According to Ayacko, his administration has already set aside the various parcels of land for the housing project and the tenders have already been advertised.

"This will enable the realisation of the citizens' fundamental rights as enshrined in Article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya and thereby enhancing their dignity as well as reducing the financial burden on the healthcare system that may result from unsatisfactory fulfilment of their housing needs," said Ayacko.

The affordable housing units will be built on 0.80 ha of land in Kehancha, 0.80 ha in Migori, 1.97 ha in Awendo and 0.90 ha in Rongo towns.

Kehancha and Migori towns would get 360 units each whereas Awendo and Rongo will have 930 and 350 housing units respectively.

The governor, who officially declared Kehancha municipality operational during the swearing-in of the municipality's board members said their role would be to ensure necessary mechanisms are put in place to respond to the citizen's needs in the wake of urbanisation.

"It is your right to be involved in the production and creation of the spaces within the municipality and also to partake of the spaces so created," Ayacko stated. He called on citizens to pay the requisite taxes which the government would use in the provision of services.

He called upon the public to not only responsibly pay the taxes without evasion but also participate actively in the development programme of the municipality.

"My administration is also keen on ensuring that the developments in Kehancha municipality are sustainable and in line with the provisions of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and other enabling legal statutes," Ayacko said.

His administration has set aside funds for the review of the Kehancha municipality's land use development plan that will guide developments in the town.

In the new lineup, Bohoko Matiko was appointed chairperson of the municipality, Anne Magoko vice chairperson, and James Gitiba, Mary Mwita, Pius Marwa, Peter Marwa and Thomas Mwita as board members.