Raila and Ruto in Kisumu ahead of Madaraka Day celebrations
President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga are in Kisumu ahead of the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2025.
They jointly presided over the commissioning of Phase One of the LAPFUND Makasembo Affordable Housing Project in Kisumu on Thursday, May 29, 2025.
Speaking on Thursday at Kirembe grounds, where he laid a foundation stone in the multi-billion LV Marina housing units, Ruto revealed that Raila Odinga has donated 5 acres of his family land in the Kirembe area to the national government to put up more housing units.
Ruto lauded Odinga for the gesture, saying the government, through the housing programme, will invest Ksh3.5 billion in the parcel, which will benefit nearly 1,000 locals.
Ruto said the construction of Lumumba affordable housing units is ongoing and targets to benefit 2,000 locals, alleviating housing ownership challenges.
On his part, Odinga affirmed that he will continue to work closely with the current administration to help address challenges Kenyans are facing.
Odinga says the 5-acre donation will go a long way in addressing the housing needs of locals in the area, adding that the project will feature key amenities such as schools and hospitals.
“Ruto’s affordable housing project is there to help Kenyans get decent housing. That is why I have donated 5 acres of my land in Kisumu so that houses can be built to improve the lives of our people,” he stated.
The LAPFUND project
The project was launched in 2021 as a partnership between the Kisumu County Government and the Local Authorities Pension Fund (LAPFUND).
Once completed, the project, located on 11.6 acres of land, will deliver a total of 1,870 housing units and 1,754 parking spaces.
Phase One includes 910 housing units, while construction of Phase Two is currently underway.
Phase Three, set to begin, will further scale up the delivery of affordable homes in the lakeside city, catering to both low- and middle-income earners.
The low-cost segment comprises 570 units, including 180 one-bedroom, 100 two-bedroom, and 290 three-bedroom homes, with 544 parking spaces.
The mid-cost segment comprises 600 two-bedroom and 700 three-bedroom units, providing 1,300 homes supported by 1,210 parking bays.
The development will also feature preschools, a daycare centre, boreholes, solar energy, high-speed lifts, landscaped gardens and play areas.
Ruto began his tour in Ndhiwa Constituency, where he launched the construction of the Gor Mahia Ring Road in Magina and officially opened the Ndhiwa Technical Training Institute (TTI) in Kanyamwa Kologi Ward.
On Friday, May 29, 2025, the President is scheduled to close the Blue Economy Conference at Tom Mboya University and later inspect and commission additional projects nationwide.
