Kenya has positioned itself at the center of Africa’s urban transformation after President William Ruto declared that the country now runs the largest affordable housing programme on the continent, backed by a $5 billion locally funded initiative.
Speaking during the Leaders’ Summit at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Ruto said Kenya’s housing push has already delivered 273,000 housing units in just three years.
He explained that the government has handed over 8,000 keys so far, while another 55,000 will follow before the end of the year.
The president stressed that Kenya’s housing model does not depend on external borrowing. Instead, he said the programme draws fully from domestic resources.
This approach, he noted, has strengthened national ownership and improved delivery speed across urban development projects.
Ruto highlighted that the housing drive has already created 640,000 jobs for young people, architects, engineers, and construction workers.
He added that the government expects employment figures to rise toward one million as construction expands across the country.
He also addressed the scale of Kenya’s urban housing challenge, pointing to over 1,100 informal settlements that house about seven million people.
According to him, this reality demands urgent intervention, and the Affordable Housing Programme aims to replace inadequate living conditions with dignified shelter.
During the summit, Ruto said Kenya is building a pipeline of 700,000 additional units, reinforcing his claim that the country leads Africa in large-scale housing development.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensure every citizen gains access to decent housing regardless of income or background.
The World Urban Forum gathering in Baku, organized by UN-Habitat alongside the Azerbaijani government, brought together global leaders to address housing, urban growth, and sustainable cities.
The Leaders’ Summit marked a historic first, creating a high-level platform for presidents, ministers, and city leaders to shape global urban policy.
Azerbaijan’s urban planning leadership emphasized that the forum aims to strengthen global cooperation, improve sustainable city development, and align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Kenya’s participation placed its housing programme under global spotlight as a model for emerging economies.
Ruto maintained that Kenya’s housing transformation reflects long-term planning, strong domestic financing, and job-centered growth strategies that aim to reshape urban living standards across the country and beyond.
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