Koskei urges housing stakeholders to leverage on technology

House built using the Koto Housing technology. [File, Standard]

Stakeholders in real estate have been urged to take advantage of innovation and technology to address the housing challenge in the country.

Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said technological advancements will ensure the delivery of quality affordable houses.

"With the current technological advancements, we can deliver better quality and affordable units within a short turnaround time," said Koskei. 

The Head of Public Service announced that the government has embarked on an aggressive digitisation programme across all state departments to ensure development and economic growth.

"In the built environment, land and property management systems digitisation is ongoing and of note, is the development of the national cadastre to ensure transparency and efficiency as well as accessibility and accountability," he said.

Koskei was speaking during the 70th Anniversary of the National Housing Corporation (NHC) in Nairobi, on Monday.

The event, culminated in the launch of the NHC strategic plan 2023-2027 and the unveiling of the corporation's new brand identity.

The Head of Public Service was optimistic that the new identity reflects the corporation’s renewed commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and excellence.

"It is my hope that the rebranding is not just about a new logo and tagline; but a holistic transformation of your business approaches, management ethos, customer responsiveness and above all, fidelity to the rule of law and transparency and accountability in the use of public resources," he said.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said that the new brand identity symbolised NHC's commitment to innovation and modernisation.

"It represents our core values of excellence, integrity and inclusivity. It signifies the pledge to continue providing high-quality, affordable housing while adopting new technologies and methodologies to better serve the Kenyan people. Alongside our new brand identity, we are proud to launch NHC 2023 to 2027 strategic plan," she said.

The CS noted that over the years, NHC has integrated green building practices into its projects to ensure that housing solutions are environmentally friendly and resilient. 

"As we celebrate these achievements, it is also crucial to look into the future. The role of NHC is more critical now than ever as we face challenges and opportunities presented by the growing population and rapid urbanisation," said Wahome.