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Ruto vows to turn Kibera into largest organised estate in Africa

06:10 PM
Ruto vows to turn Kibera into largest organised estate in Africa
President William Ruto speaking during a past event. PHOTO/@WilliamsRuto/X

President William Ruto has vowed to overhaul Kibera, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements, into the continent’s most extensive and systematically planned residential estate.

Speaking during an inspection of the Soweto Affordable Housing Project in Kibera on Friday, May 23, 2025, the President maintained that his administration remains committed to converting the face of Kibera, which he described as a settlement in need of complete change, into a formal estate.

According to him, when he first launched the Soweto B housing phase, he informed residents that it was only the beginning of what he termed a broader vision to modernise the entire settlement, and asserted that visible changes were already taking shape on the ground.

“When I came to launch the housing programme in this Soweto B area, I told you that this was only the first phase, and I promised, by the grace of God, that this very Kibera, this very Soweto, would be turned into a proper estate, and that the face of Kibera would change into something dignified, and as you can now see, that transformation has already begun,” he said.

Ruto further claimed that beyond the 4,500 units currently under construction in the Soweto area, another 15,000 housing units are already being put up in Southlands — another part of Kibera — a figure which he noted is three times the size of the present project.

The President stated that his return to Soweto was part of a follow-up to a pledge he had made to residents of zones C and D, where he said similar housing would be constructed, and where, according to him, a registration process is already underway to identify eligible residents.

“I came back today because when I last visited here, I spoke to the residents of Soweto zones C and D, and I told them we would agree together to construct for them the same kind of houses as those in zones A and B, and as we speak, the enumeration process is ongoing right here,” Ruto claimed.

He added that over 11,000 residents had already been registered in the system, and that each of them would receive a card identifying them as verified residents of the informal settlement — cards which, he said, would serve as tickets to acquire housing once the units are completed.

“We have already enrolled 11,000 residents, and each one will receive a card indicating they are bonafide residents of this slum, and that very card will be the official ticket to access housing once the new units are ready,” he explained.

William Ruto speaking during a past event. PHOTO/@WilliamsRuto/X
William Ruto speaking during a past event. PHOTO/@WilliamsRuto/X

He directed that the enumeration exercise be extended by two more days to reach all residents, saying that his administration was focused on ensuring equity in access to housing, especially for the urban poor.

“I have been informed that the number of residents is quite high, and therefore I have instructed that the enumeration exercise be extended by two more days so that every citizen is reached — because I made it clear that in this Kenya, we must ensure fairness for all,” the President stated.

The President insisted that the government would not settle for slum upgrading, but would instead pursue what he described as full slum eradication, claiming that his housing plan would entirely replace informal settlements like Kibera.

“I made it clear that we are not going to do slum upgrading — we are going to do slum eradication. Slums will no longer exist here in Kibera, and if you ever doubted whether we would accomplish this, just look around you and witness the houses already under construction,” he said.

He also noted that the project was creating employment for young people and called upon youth from zones C and D to prepare for upcoming opportunities as the housing programme expands to their sections.

According to him, the Affordable Housing initiative has already delivered substantial relief to a multitude of young people who previously lacked meaningful employment, and by the time of its completion, it will have transformed the lives of many more, as it is designed to usher in a wide array of far-reaching benefits beyond simply enabling citizens to acquire homes.

“You can now see for yourselves — I told you we would build, and it is happening right before your eyes. Thousands of young people are already working here, and to the youth from zones C and D, I urge you to prepare yourselves, because there will be work for you in this next phase,” he said.

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