The New Mukuru Housing Estate in Embakasi South, Nairob

The government has detailed how residents of Mukuru informal settlements were allocated newly built affordable housing units, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of one of Nairobi’s most densely populated slums.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the process was transparent, inclusive, and targeted, ensuring that original Mukuru residents were prioritized in the first phase of occupation.

“When the Buruklyn Boyz sang, ‘Dream ya kutoka kwa block,’ the government heard, and acted,” said Omollo, referencing the popular Kenyan drill anthem to underscore how the aspirations of slum dwellers are finally being realised.

“Through the Affordable Housing Programme, that dream is becoming a reality for hundreds of families who once lived in informal settlements.”

The first batch of units, officially commissioned by President William Ruto in May, now houses hundreds of families. The completed phase features five blocks—A, AB, AC, AD, and AE—accommodating a total of 621 households.

Omollo noted that the identification of beneficiaries began with a detailed door-to-door enumeration exercise throughout Mukuru slums. Each household was verified and assigned a unique identifier, forming the basis of the selection process.

The units were allocated as follows:

  • Block A: 181 households
  • Block AB: 202 households
  • Block AC: 72 households
  • Block AD: 93 households
  • Block AE: 73 households

To promote economic empowerment, the development also includes 50 new shop spaces, which will be allocated through a draw to registered applicants who expressed interest in doing business within the estate.

“This is about building not just homes, but communities and livelihoods,” Omollo added.

He revealed that the second phase, comprising 1,296 more units, is already underway, with enumeration ongoing across all Mukuru slums. Once complete, the project is expected to deliver 5,616 housing units—ranging from bedsitters to one- and two-bedroom apartments—replacing the entire stretch of informal settlements in the area.

“With over 6,000 people currently living in the slums, this project represents a broader effort to provide every Mukuru resident with a permanent and dignified home,” Omollo said.

“The ‘dream ya kutoka kwa block’ is no longer just a verse. It’s a lived reality—an anthem echoing through many households in Mukuru,” he concluded.