By Anderson Ojwang’
The construction of 5400 ultra-modern housing units in Kisumu City will go along way in tackling the housing crisis in the lake city that has contributed to skyrocketing rent rates.
County Executive Committee Member (CEC) in charge of Land, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development Mr. Jerome Ochieng said that several housing projects are currently ongoing in Kisumu to tackle the housing challenge in the region.
He said the Sh4 billion Makasembo estate housing project is 90 per cent complete and will give the city 2000 units and will go a long way in changing the housing concept in the region from the old colonial built to ultra-modern one.
“We have been having housing challenges in Kisumu which has made the cost of rent to be high and expensive.
Additional housing units in the lake city will help contain skyrocketing rent
and cushion the tenants,’ he said.
Ochieng said the Anderson estate will also give an additional 1400 units and the housing units have all been booked off the plan.
In Lumumba estate, the national government affordable houses will add another 2000 units to the lake city and will give the residents the luxury and comfort of the ultra-modern housing system in the region.
“In these new units, they are apartments with studios, one bedroom, two bedrooms and more.
This will make Kisumu to effectively compete with Nairobi. We hope to have investors trooping to the lake city to invest in housing as Kisumu rentals have good returns to investment,” he said.
He said Kisumu was turning out as an investment hub for Kenyans in the diaspora as it is attracting various investments.
Already a group of Kenyans diasporas in the United States of America (USA) and other countries were investing Sh 1 billion in housing infrastructure.
The group, Wema Magharibi are building 140 ultra-modern housing units on five acres of land in the; leafy Riat area.
Ochieng said the group was committed to investing in the housing projects in the region.
“The works on the project are 60 per cent complete and we hope by next year the houses will be complete for occupation,” he said.
Ochieng said the investors considered Kisumu as their destination for choice to invest in and left other towns and cities because of the emerging opportunity and projected returns on investments.
Deputy Governor Dr Mathews Owili said the investor’s confidence in Kisumu has triggered more investors to the region and this was making the town become an investment hub.
He said the ultra-modern housing facilities will open the Western Kenya tourism circuit for both international and local tourists.
“We want to market and open the western Kenya tourism circuit and through such investments by the diaspora and other investors, the circuit is going to be a destination of choice,” he
said.
The Deputy Governor said the county government of Kisumu was wooing various investors to the region and already the initiative is bearing fruits.
He said recently former Prime Minister Raila Odinga launched LV Marina, a waterfront, a specially designed harbour with moorings for pleasure yachts and small boats.
The investment is by privately driven investors aimed at opening the Kisumu Lake Front as a tourist destination.
The facility will give the visitors and residents of Western Kenya the opportunity to enjoy the lake’s ambience and relax.
The facility will have apartments, Playgrounds, yachts and other social amenities.
The Deputy Governor said such investments were creating job and business opportunities for the locals.
