KISIPs slum upgrading strategy a key pillar to affordable housing agenda, says Housing Secretary

KISIPs slum upgrading strategy a key pillar to affordable housing agenda, says Housing Secretary Naivasha, Wednesday, August 23, 2023 The National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy will be a key pillar towards boosting government’s affordable housing programme, the Housing Secretary Said Athman has said. Speaking in Naivasha yesterday, August 23, 2023 during a validation workshop for the document attended by stakeholders, Mr Athman said that the government is committed in seeing improvement of informal settlements in the country.

“The slum upgrading strategy we are validating today will be a key pillar in ensuring the affordable housing agenda comes to fruition. If we have descent houses, then less people will be living in slums,” he told the gathering. State Department for Housing and Urban Development and the Second Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP2), are spearheading the development of the strategy poised to be a game-changer in addressing the challenge of slums and informal settlements in the country.

He lauded the KISIP team and the Consultants for burning midnight oil which ensured the strategy was developed. While giving her remarks, the Director, Slum Upgrading Department Mary Ndungu, indicated that the strategy will transform urban areas by giving people dignity. She added that the regulatory framework will also guide the implementation of the strategy. “I thank all stakeholders who have been involved in this long journey done through a participatory process.

This strategy will truly transform our urban areas, make them more attractive, grow and develop,” she said. Addressing the workshop, KISIPs National Coordinator George Arwa, told the gathering that the document forms a framework for collaboration between national government and the counties. “This validation exercise will birth a national document which will eventually provide how implementation will be done,” he indicated. The workshop was also attended by staff from State Department for Housing and Urban Development, KISIP, representatives from the county governments, council of governors, the academia, community based organizations, settlement executive committees, civil society, professional institutions, non-governmental organizations and consultants.

It aims at operationalizing the slum upgrading and prevention policy (Sessional Paper No.2 of 2016) with the intent of improving quality of life for residents in Kenya’s slums.

It also provides a comprehensive framework for land use and development planning, provide appropriate security of tenure and improved infrastructure, social amenities and facilitating provision of adequate social housing.